“You must never think of the whole street at once, understand? You must only concentrate on the next step, the next breath, the next stroke of the broom, and the next, and the next. Nothing else.”
– Michael Ende, Momo
Are you finding yourself on a frustrating treadmill of doing a job that you hate and counting the years until retirement? There are millions of people out there wasting the most precious years of their lives for all the wrong reasons.
On average about half of your lifetime will be spent working, assuming you retire in your mid-60s and have a typical lifespan between 70 and 80. It therefore makes sense that you spend your best years doing what you love and what you are passionate about.
If you are stuck in grievance culture, unhappy in your job, or your relationship, and have problems with your self-esteem the universe will be sending you many signs that you need to change direction.
A job environment with constant high-stress levels will not only cause mental and physical exhaustion but eventually lead to a host of other health problems that will severely impact your lifespan and quality of life. Some typical red flags:
- Your personal values are no longer in alignment with the values of the organization
- All your efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated
- You feel undervalued and underpaid for what you are doing
- You have reached a dead end in personal growth. The job lacks growth opportunity, meaning, and purpose.
You might have started a particular career or job with a passion, but it has meanwhile outlived its purpose. It has become a grinding chore and is exhausting you physically and mentally. That might be the time for you to move on. One path is often the stepping stone or learning curve for you to move on to another path.
In doing what you love, you will discover that the true richness of life is not just in the paycheck, but in the fulfillment of your soul. When you are doing what you are passionate about your higher vibrational frequency will automatically attract all the abundance and the money you need.
Even in carrying out the most mundane tasks your mindset and perspective are key, according to the 13th-century Mystic Meister Eckhart. Being in alignment is the discovery of mysticism in all of your activities in a “joyful experiential presence”.
Eckart’s formula for happiness was liberation from attachment and complete surrender to “dedication” in giving yourself wholeheartedly to a cause, person, or activity. This, he argues, is only possible if you create space for contemplative “emptiness”.
The more in alignment “the more powerful, dignified, useful, commendable, and perfect is the prayer and the work,” Eckart writes in one of his sermons.
Similarly, Zen Buddhism encourages practitioners to cultivate mindfulness, which involves paying full attention to each moment, fully immersing yourself in the present experience, and extending to all activities whether it’s walking, eating, working, or any other daily task.
Mindful activity involves being fully present in the current moment, paying attention to thoughts, feelings, and sensations without becoming entangled by attachment or judgment. Developing a kind and compassionate attitude is integral to the spiritual path.
In a busy world, you are constantly being pulled into a thousand different directions, becoming a playball for social media and the “glitter of the shiny things.” Distraction and addiction are trying to stifle the voice of your soul yearning to accomplish that which it was destined to bring forth and create from the day you were born.
Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker
P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.
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