This was originally titled, “why you’re not successful in your job”. I was going to write about how we misguidedly define “success”, how we just do what’s good for us and why we’ll never make a difference because we don’t care about seeing the big picture; the universal picture. But, then I was reminded that theheartmovement was about Love and being positive and cute puppies and all those wonderful things.
So, instead,
“Loving 9 – 5, what a way to make a living”
And, here we go.
Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours at work. We’re pretty much always surrounded by people we don’t necessarily use in the same sentence or thought as ‘Love’. People we, largely, know nothing about. People we probably get frustrated with. People we don’t have a vested interest in for anything except what we need from them. For all intensive purposes; just kidding – for all intents and purposes, we view many of these people as the unavoidable barriers to our life. Are there people that do fall into the ‘Love’ category for us? Absolutely. But we’ll save that for another week.
This week, we’re issuing challenges.
This week, we’re going to try and Love these folks.
The greatest part about this challenge is that it literally offers you perpetual opportunities to practice. The opportunities are as many as there are people that cross your path. You want to make a difference? You want to change the world? You don’t need to build a school. Just start Loving people.
You can smile at any person you choose. And, getting one is return is irrelevant.
Leave a $5 Tim Hortons gift card, anonymously, on someone’s desk.
Say hello or goodnight to the cleaning staff. Or, better yet, say “thank you”. Regardless, of the fact that they are paid to do a job, think of what they do for you.
Hugs are okay at work. Be courageous.
If you choose to be a grump, the only person that deserves your grumpiness is you. Don’t project it on to others.
Cheer up a grump.
Put down your phone.
Look up from your computer.
Make eye contact.
Stop judging what you don’t understand or know anything about. That, definitely, includes people.
Apologize to someone. Regardless, of how long ago it should have been.
That stranger you’ve seen in the elevator 41 times? Ask them how they’re doing. Don’t just look at your shoes. You already know what they look like. They’re your shoes.
Talk to someone at work, just because they’re a person. Not because you need something from them.
Listen. Don’t just wait for your turn to speak.
Admit that you’re wrong.
Encourage someone.
Encourage everyone.
Be patient.
Each and every person is an opportunity to practice Love. Especially, in those situations that are most challenging. The only way to get there is through repetition and practice. There is no magic formula to any of this. It’s simply about remembering that you have a choice in every circumstance. You can choose to be exasperated or angry or sad. Or, you can choose to….
Be Love.
Workplace is a place to be professional and respectful. I normally treat my colleagues nicer than my families and friends outside work. The reason is because I see my co-workers on a minimum of 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. Also I am in a profession that time is what we are selling, so I can’t afford to have any personal issue with anyone as then I need to spend time to fix whatever the issue is. However, I am not saying I don’t have friends at work. I do! Once those people become my friends, I show them my personal side and share my true color with them. This is all because love have made me to be open and to share. After reading your post, it reminded me of a very good friend from my past employer. There was such a day, I was so upset and this person was extremely busy, However I still decided to talk to him and after I started my “open line”: “I am sorry to bug you and I know you are…”, he stopped me right before my next word, which is “busy” and said “we can talk now and I understand why you have to ‘bug’ me as you don’t have any family member and you have spent lots of time at work, so we are your families”. At that moment, my heart felt so warm and I felt so happy. I, to be honest, before that moment, I didn’t feel quite connect with that person. I mean back then, people all knew and said he is a nice person (he is and he will always be); but I didn’t feel his kindness until that moment after he told me they are my families here. I know some people may want to argue with me that “there is no second home” and there is always issue at work. I can see why they say that, which is because they didn’t choose to love their work place or they didn’t choose to do what they love to do. This post reminded me lots of good memories, such as “saying ‘thank you'” to the janitors. You know what, the janitor in my old firm is such a nice person and we all like him. We didn’t treat him just like a janitor. We all say “thank you” to him whenever he picked up our garbage and we shared our firm-events food with him; and we talked to him to get to know how great he is! In sum, love can be found everywhere as long as you open your heart. It is just sometimes, it is up to us to decide when we want to open our heart. Great job! Be love and be bright!
Often, we go to work to do our job. I mean, that’s what it’s there for. I don’t think most people think past that to how they can make a difference in someone’s life that day. Making a difference can be something really really small, we just think it has to be something major. It’s like your story about your janitor; that’s exactly it! That person isn’t a janitor. They’re a PERSON that does janitorial work. But, we usually treat people based upon what they do for a living. And, I don’t mean that in a hierarchical kind of way. I just mean that we base the relationship upon what a person does and how that can benefit us. Instead of approaching everyone, first and foremost, as a person. As Love.
Be well.
Be Love.