Excerpt from Get Smart! About Modern Career Development: A Personal Guide to Creating Your Life's Work.
Spirituality is more than an identification or association with a particular religion or religious beliefs. It is more than just believing in God. It is about our connection and relationship with nature, each other, and Spirit. Spirituality is a way of life and is individually defined and experienced by each human being. Spirituality gives many people a sense of the inter-relatedness of life and its inhabitants, it helps people feel whole and provides us a sense of meaning. The poet Yeats once defined spirituality as, "The core of the person-the center from which meaning, self, and life understanding are generated."
For far too long, people have believed that our job/position/title was our source, instead of a vehicle to be able to live life as we choose to. In fact, we are in a partnership with a higher power, who is the true source; however, we have to open to this truth in order to receive all that is available to us.
Case Illustration
Brian is a man in his forties, who held a very important job (according to society’s standards). He was a doctor. He had a wife and two children, and a seemingly satisfying life. But Brian had felt a longing to do something different with his life for many years. He yearned for a simpler, less stressful lifestyle. One day after twenty years in his profession, he left it all behind to search for the real meaning in his life. He left his family and home in search of himself, his Spirit. Alone, he traveled for six months and then came back home, sold his house and various belongings. He then became a candle maker. His new-found sense of spirituality led him to create a different way of making money, and a lighter way of living. He now travels around the country with his wife selling his wares and is finally content and at peace with himself. He learned that the source of his happiness did not come from having an important, high-paying job, but rather an important, meaningful life.
In the realm of work, there seems to be a connection to meaningful work and those who are in touch with their spiritual selves. The rising interest in spirituality and its importance will impact the modern world of work in that it will allow us to create new work that provides a sense of meaning and allows us to express our Spirit. One aspect of spirituality and work that is evolving is a new definition of balance. New age workers do not want to spend all their time working. In fact, they are seeking more enjoyment from "the business of living."
As we move further into the 21st century, more career options will continue to be available to a more diverse workforce. At the same time, people of all backgrounds are realizing that whole life balance is important to true success. If you want to create your true life’s work, you have to look at your life in its entirety, and realize how each of the different areas of life impact each other. If you choose a career that fits in and complements the other dimensions, you will experience more overall fulfillment.
To uncover your purpose, you must get in touch with your inner self, pay attention to that small inner voice that whispers to you its need to create, take action on this information, and then manifest it in the world. This will lead you to create work that you love to do. And as a result, people will pay you for it. Having money allows you to do more of the things that you love to do in your spare time. And it gives you the freedom of when, where, and how you choose to work.
As a society, we have foolishly believed in the lack and scarcity paradigm; "there is not enough to go around," and that "you have to fight for your fair share." In the era of enlightenment, we will believe in the abundance of the universe---that there is plenty for all.
In our world, money is a means to an end in that it allows us to do what we want to do. Contrary to popular belief, financial abundance is something everyone is worthy and deserving of. But we have many psychological blocks that prevent us from believing this. What few people realize is that money is a source of energy, thus our beliefs about it will be reflected in how much we share and save. Again, thoughts create reality. If you believe that money is good and that you are worthy of it, you will attract financial abundance into your life. Likewise, if you believe that creating your life’s work is good, and that you are worthy of it, you will attract career abundance into your life. By taking a proactive, smart approach to your life/career planning, you can experience abundance in all the areas of your life.
Affirmation:
My life’s work is now ready for me and I for it. I perform my work lovingly and share myself wholly with others. I am a success in my personal and professional life.
# # # # #
