Creating From Our Whole Self

Taken from The Tenth Insight by James Redfield & Carol Adrienne

In the new worldview, we will value each person’s unique qualities and be more open to seeing him or her as a soul in growth just like ourselves. By the same token, we must be willing to accept ourselves in that way, bringing our authenticity, our intuitive and rational skills, and our heartfelt values into the workplace. We must be willing to stop asking. How can I live my spiritual values in the workplace? Asking how puts us into looking for external answers, when the real answer is waiting within, the silent promise that we came to fulfill.

For us as individuals, our purpose gets deflected from what matters to what works. The intensity of the question “how?” (to implement empowerment and participation) is an expression of our having surrendered some part of ourselves, our own struggle with purpose and destiny, by constantly kneeling at the altar of experience.

If we took responsibility for our freedom, committed ourselves to service and had faith that our security lay within… we could stop asking the question ‘how?’. We would see that we have the answer. In every case the answer to the question ‘how?’ is ‘yes’. It places the location of the solution in the right place with the questioner. (Peter Block, Stewardship).

The new bottom line is Higher Purpose
Living our purpose is more than identifying ourselves by occupation, educational class, or worldly achievements. For most of us, living our purpose means living in alignment with our head and heart, making a living joyfully by expressing our abilities and talents that help the common good. We feel rewarded by the intrinsic value of what we are doing. When we take this attitude to the workplace, we have a greater chance of feeling more centred, more created, and more fulfilled.

Individual Study
Visualising success – When was the last time you felt really ‘in sync’ with a group of friends or colleagues? Have you ever been involved in a humanitarian project that just flowed? How would you explain what made your project so successful or satisfying? Close your eyes nd re-create the feeling you had when you felt really good about something you achieved. Immerse yourself in the sounds or smells or taste or touch of that empowering moment.

Give it to the unconsciousness – Are you working on something now that you want to bring to fruition? Think about your goal or write out the best possible outcome. Close your eyes and immerse yourself in a very specific scene in which you can taste, smell, see and feel the success, recognitions, self-esteem and abundance that you desire. Notice as many details as you can and re-create the scene once or twice a day, preferably before going to sleep and upon awakening. Focus on it for only five minutes at the most and then let it go with the silent affirmation “This or something better.” Remember, your inner world is creating your external circumstances, and you are a self-organising being connected to universal intelligence.

Check-In – How excited are you about your occupation? If money were no object, what kind of work would you bound out of bed in the morning to do?

Bird in a cage – Write a few sentences about how you see yourself as a bird in a cage with an open door. What is keeping you in your cage? Why? Where would you fly if you left the cage? Is your cage okay for now? How have you already tried to enlarge your cage? Do you need to rethink the whole idea of your cage?

Over the next few days, notice your language and self-talk. What expressions are you using that subtly give your power away, downplay your qualities, or indicate a perceived lack of freedom? (I’m not good at managing” “I just want to hold on to this job until retirement.” “I’d move in a second, but I’ve got too much seniority.” “It’s easy for people with degrees to talk about freedom. I have to take whatever work there is.”

Write it out – Notice when you get anxious and frustrated at work. Write out your feelings about the situation before or after work for twenty minutes, for five days in a row. Answer for yourself the question “What do I want?” and write it out. Then forget about it.