Taking Your Soul To Work

We spend so much of our lives at work but we forget about our soul.  Our alarm clock rings, we get out of bed, we get dressed, have breakfast, and get ready for work. We commute to work, read our emails, have lunch, do our work unconsciously, drive back home, have dinner, rest and go to bed only to go through the same old boring routine the next day. Sound familiar? A lot of us have jobs that don’t make us feel fulfilled but are a means to paying our bills and keeping us in our desired lifestyles.

You may not have any options at the moment but to stay in your current job, however, in the meantime why not think of creative ways to make it more fun and meaningful? You can’t control the people you work with, and you may have many toxic people you have to dodge on a daily basis, but you can control how you experience your work life.

Have you heard about the FISH Philosophy? It is inspired by a group of fishmongers from Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market. This group of fishmongers is a shining example of how you can create a culture and workplace that encourages people to flourish and increase productivity. Being a fishmonger is obviously hard smelly work but despite this they have found a way to harness a positive attitude and have fun at work. This is an example of bringing your soul to work...and you can too!

Here are 10 things you can do to bring your soul to work:

1. Setting Intentions – do this at the beginning of your day.  It makes the difference between reacting to your work life and creating your work life.  Check in with your emotions and see how you’re feeling. When you’re more deeply connected to your inner self, write down 3-5 intentions you would like to set for yourself.  Your intentions can include:  How you would like to show up to work?  How do you want to be perceived by others at work?  What experiences would you like to generate today?  What connections would you like to make at work?  You may want to say “I am going to step into my most powerful self when I go to that potentially volatile meeting today.” or “I am going to give my 100% attention and focus to every customer I interact with today.” I suggest you write them on post-it-notes and post them around your computer so you can remind yourself of what you want to manifest today. I also like to write my intention on recipe cards and put them in my purse. When I’m stuck in traffic or waiting for an appointment I take them out and read them. They help lift up my spirit. You can find recipe cards at the dollar store….very cheap.
2. Breath Breaks – when you are feeling stressed, take the time to deeply breathe in, hold it, and then breathe out.  Do this several times until you feel lighter and calmer…but not to the point where you start feeling whoozy!!  Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath.  It will help bring you into the present moment and will help you to find some peace in that moment.  When you’re having your breaks at work, take the time to still yourself and breathe deeply for a few moments.  When you focus on your breath, you are not worrying about anything else and keeps you in the now. This is also called mindfulness and is being practiced in the workplace more frequently as our society awakens to the power of this daily practice.  You can also set the alarm on your phone for periodic alerts to remind you to take a moment and breathe, bringing your focus into the present moment. This mindfulness practice helps reduce stress and gives you a chance to clear your thoughts and gain focus and clarity as you connect inwardly to your soul.
3. Desktop Inspiration – make your place of work a space for inspiration.  Why not put fresh-cut flowers into your favourite vase and put it on your desk?  Visually they’re very beautiful and the smell will also invigorate your senses.  Let’s face it, you spend a lot of time at your desk so why not add things that energize and inspire you to create success?   You could put pictures of your family or scenic pictures of trips you’ve taken, or a bowl of lovely crystals so that when the light hits them it creates a prism of colours in your office/desk space.  A statue of Buddha or a small water fountain helps bring abundance to your work place and the tranquil sounds of running water will help keep you calm.  Turn your monitor into a place of inspiration by adding an inspiring desktop background to it or your favourite screen saver. Bring in a plant. Not only will it clean the air but its energy is very healing.
4. Soul Consulting – if you’re feeling stressed out, confused or have a mind block about a certain project you are doing or decision you need to make, take a moment to close your eyes, center/ground yourself, and quiet your mind.  Don’t let anyone or anything distract you as you release your mind chatter and focus inward to your inner guidance for consultation.  Ask your higher self what you should do in this moment and wait patiently and lovingly for the answer.  Write down any thoughts, images, colours or feelings that come to you and try to interpret them into what you’re stumped on.  When you take the time to get out of your head (i.e. the ego) and get into your soul (i.e. heart center) you will connect to an endless supply of inner wisdom at your disposal.
5. Connecting – truly connecting to others throughout your work day is a powerful way of connecting to your own consciousness or spirit.  Make an effort every day to connect with at least 2-3 people on a personal level.  Get to know the Receptionist or Mail Person.  Ask them what inspires them or what their dreams are and you will get to know them at a deeper level.  Who knows, maybe the Receptionist is a Yoga Instructor in her spare time and maybe the Mail Person competes in triathlons.  Try to listen to each person that you interact with 100% laser focus and genuine curiosity.  Give them your undivided attention.  The only person in the world right now is that person….so give the gift of listening today! People just want to be seen, heard and understood. Do this for someone else and they will do it for you. Good karma all around!
6. Meditation – during your coffee breaks and/or lunch break, find a quiet space or go outside and sit on the grass or on a nice bench and meditate.  Close your eyes, ground and center yourself and breathe deeply several times until you feel your energy shifting.  Clear your mind of work and focus on your breath.  Listen to the sounds around you like the wind rustling through the trees, the birds chirping or the cars driving by.  Feel the heat of the sun on your face and the wind blowing through your hair.  Tune into your senses and if a thought comes into your mind be the observer and let it float by without judging it. Continue to concentrate on your breath.  Set a timer on your phone or watch so you don’t go over your break and the worry of meditating too long will not be a concern.  Taking the time to meditate at work will help you calm yourself, put you into a more positive light, and frame of mind as you return to work.  People will be wondering what your secret is!
7. Move Your Body – If you sit at a desk all day, chances are your muscles are tight, and you’re stiff!  Take mini-breaks throughout your day and move your body.  Get up out of your chair and stretch your arms to the ceiling, touch your toes, twist side to side, and roll your head to stretch your neck.  If no one is watching, put on some of your favourite tunes and dance!  Go for a walk around the office, take the stairs down to the lobby and back up again.  Taking mini-breaks is healthy for you, and helps to connect your mind, body and spirit for a more soulful experience at work.
8. Passion and Purpose Plug-in – if you`ve been in your job for a very long time, or there are certain aspects of your job that are very mundane and repetitive, you may be feeling disheartened about what you do, and have lost your passion.  Take a few moments in your day to journal and write about what made you accept this job in the first place.  What important things do you to make a difference for others?  Take a moment to visualize how your services or products benefit others.  See them receiving your services or products and enjoying them! Ask yourself how you contribute to the overall vision and mission of your organization. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done!
9. Laughter – Work can be such a busy and hectic place with serious people and somber expressions.  Ever take a moment to look around and see people working?  What do you notice about them? Laughter increases our vibrational energy and brings so much joy and happiness to our lives.  Did you know that doctors are recommending people laugh at least two times per week, and claim that it’s healthy for you?  So go ahead and watch some YouTube videos on your next break….ones that make you laugh and put a smile on your face.  Who knows, it may be contagious. As you laugh, others will start to laugh too, and pretty soon your work environment is a more positive one with happy faces and awakened souls!
10. Bottom Line – Don’t wait until after your work day is done to connect with your soul.  Do it from the minute you get up and make your cereal to the minute you go to bed, and do it daily.  Taking your soul to work will make your otherwise ordinary day into an extra-ordinary day….ignite your life!

Lisa Schell, Business & Personal Coach, A Clear Pathway To You                                                                                     www.clearpathwaytoyou.com | clearpathwaytoyou@gmail.com | 604.612.1450  Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Twitter                                                     RSS Feed to “Soulful Living” http://feeds.feedburner.com/clearpathwaytoyou/zsHb