Is Collective Consciousness Striking Morale In the Workplace?

(Image: Jack Layton's Final Words)

The conversation recently came up about the morale of employees. It seems that there are a lot of people working who simply don’t have the motivation to perform at their best capacity on the job. They are unhappy, they work slower, they may even have a sour attitude towards their bosses, their coworkers, and if they are in customer service, unfortunately, it is displayed onto the customer. It’s a vicious cycle. The mood being projected is being circulated like a revolving door – enter the lower vibrations until it reaches everyone in range. How can it be stopped? Better yet, how can we boost our own energy to one that vibrates on a more positive level? We need to filter and purify the energy around us that serves as the collective consciousness.

First, it is important to recognize some of the reasons at the root of overall job dissatisfaction. I look at the big picture and see it has been fueled by all kinds of contributing factors that began to take place in the late 1990’s. So much has been thrown into the simmering pot until it finally reaches its boiling point. Must we wait until the pot boils over in order to do something about it? That’s usually the popular course – people do not take action until the breaking point has been reached; until something drastic occurs that sets people in motion to act. Yet, here we are collectively falling prey to the effects of the crisis happening all around us, still. Let’s visit part of the past that I feel brought us here and take a look at the bigger picture together:

9/11 – can’t speak about it enough; we will never forget;

War – fighting terrorism, fighting for reasons that government led us to believe were necessary for the defense of our national security, but rather turns out the raison d'être was greed and politics;

The Housing Bubble – housing prices soared, uncensored loans, market crashed, homes lose value;

Unemployment – businesses laid off people to cut back; we see a trend in outsourcing to foreign countries, although some businesses opted to cut pay/salaries to save from laying people off;

Banks – it's no secret that the financial crisis was brought on by the banks funding bogus loans that eventually would make them even more money; it didn’t help that the government bailed them out when they should have all faced justice like the criminals within the 99% do;

That left…

The People – that would be the 99% who went to work every day to live the American Dream, raising a family, paying their bills and believing that the banks would help them, somehow, reach the dream; those who lost it to 9/11, or war, or the housing bubble, or unemployment, or to the banks, or to all of it… were left.

Nothing in life is to be feared,

It is only to be understood.

-- Marie Curie

This is only the tip of the iceberg touching on these events, in my view, which led to where we are now as a whole. I'm not saying that every single person in the 99% is a direct victim of the above, but collectively we do become affected and it touches us all on a different level. Think about all those people who were going to work, who were motivated to get that promotion, to buy that home, to provide for their family and send their kids to college – they had hope. They thought that their 401k plans would be there for the long-haul so that they could enjoy retirement. They thought that purchasing their home was a wise investment worth working for. They thought that working long hours for a corporation would one day pay off.

The deception slowly started to rise to the surface, the web of lies unraveling, the transparency of the cheating banks getting away with fraud while people lost their homes, their livelihood, their dignity and their dreams. It has come to a point where people who are lucky enough to have a job, or re-enter the job market, are hanging by a thread. These people are trying to recover what they lost, trying to find hope in a new dream. Those once eager to go to work in the morning or at the beginning of a shift with promise for a brighter future were in a sense betrayed; now, they are waking up every morning to face a reality that for some a light at the end of the tunnel just isn't visible.

So, is it difficult to understand why the person behind the cash register is not greeting you with a friendly smile or why the employee is disgruntled at work for having to work longer hours with more duties and less pay – a pay that won’t cover the bills, the fuel, the food on the table? Perhaps they work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. Forget about retirement. Forget about sending their kids to college. Forget about buying that home – they probably had one and then lost it to a bank. All they want is to regain their life, their dignity, to get back a piece of that security they once knew. And what about their children who had to grow up watching their parents go through this? Suddenly their worlds fell apart, too. Now they are teenagers or young adults and lost because family ties were severed and they became disconnected, whether as a result of direct stress from the war, 9/11, loss of home, income or health or indirect pressure resulting from these events -- chaos erupted. No one was there to help because everyone in the 99% were sinking, while the 1% were too busy hanging on to their money. There is really no sense of security among people anymore.

Here we are now, at the culmination of unhappy, disgruntled, unmotivated employees. We shouldn’t complain. We should do something about it. We shouldn’t criticize. We should be compassionate. We shouldn’t castigate. We should motivate, provide encouragement and offer incentives for better job performance. We need to value people more, show them respect, and not expect more than we are willing to give in return. We need to begin training people to do service unto others, not seek self-gratification. It starts at work, at school, at home, at places of public domain -- it starts within each and every one of us.

It is time to think differently and begin lending a hand out instead of holding it back. It is no one single person’s fault. Wherever the string came loose, it has been done and grave consequences have been suffered by many. Let’s focus on bringing back harmony into the workplace by working together towards creating an environment of peace and respect and strive for a new fellowship that serves one another. People in positions of leadership and management should take the initiative to begin a movement in the workplace that will shine some light of hope. It begins with one person to focus on the good in order to change the energy and raise its vibration where instead of everyone falling to the level of lower frequencies, we rise collectively to meet those higher frequencies. And together, we will rise again and put some smiles back on our faces, and a new dream in sight. We cannot say that we are not affected; collectively we are, and collectively we can create change for a brighter tomorrow.

On This Note:  Everyday we have an opportunity to make someone smile back at us.

I hope this blog motivates at least one person to find their courage and start moving toward making their dream come true!

Please feel free to leave me a comment below and provide your feedback. I would love to hear from you.

The Power Behind Your Thoughts

    
     A penny for your thoughts.  Those composed arrangements swirling around in our minds have been the subject of books, plays and song.  We give them credibility by aligning them with a feeling.  We rely on them to act.  Without them we would be a blank slate.  Thoughts are the source of ideas and the energy behind creation. So, if a thought can fuel the engine that keeps us running, maybe we should think twice about what we ARE actually thinking about.

     Most thoughts come and go as quickly as we conjure them up.  Some of them, especially the ones that deal with our current situation, keep coming back around; even keep us awake at night.  Others are thoughts of dreams and things we'd like to achieve, but see them as far from reach. So how important are these thoughts we have?  First, let's break down what a thought actually is. As best as I can define, a thought is made up a preconceived idea or belief.  It is then affirmed by a feeling we have attached to it.  The definition of a thought as found on dictionary.com is:  the product of mental activity; that which one thinks. In quantum physics, one might say a thought is made up of particles and energies conceived from a stream of events sending electric waves of data to the brain which serves as the decoder for a thought to arise. It's how I sum it up anyways -- please correct me if I'm wrong.  I tried to find a more simplified definition from the man himself Deepak Chopra, but honestly I wasn't in the mood to click and rummage through 10,0000+ Google hits. 

     What I  did come to the conclusion was that if our thoughts are arranged from everything we have lived through, learned about, and even brainwashed by, then we can control what we think.  We are who we are and where we are because of our thoughts.  We have external factors, of course, predisposed upon us as part of life, but how we experience those factors, and what we create as a result of them, are simply made up by the thoughts that we have.  For instance, growing up without a father, is one thing, but when a fact such as he abandoned his children or he died from a terrible disease is introduced to the child, the thoughts revolving around the absence of the father creates a very personal experience to that child which more likely than not will bare a significant influence on the decisions, actions and reactions in the life ahead. The thoughts will revolve around not having had a father growing up for whatever reason made it a fact, thus creating a life forged by thoughts and executing feelings and emotions behind them.  There is great power behind your thoughts.

     Earlier I mentioned that we can control what we think -- but only when we realize that thoughts are a product of what we believe, or want to believe.  Let's take the fatherless child who may have suffered through childhood without a father.  Once everything the child knows about why dad was not around is dealt with and released, the thoughts associated with not having a father growing up will begin to dissolve because no longer is the child, perhaps now an adult, attached to being fatherless -- the emotions and the feelings begin to heal. Thoughts change, perhaps comforting ones begin to prevail and a new set of thoughts are introduced, in this case happier ones.   The external factors are still there, but the internal feelings attached to one's thoughts no longer follow the pattern of suffering, all because of a change in thinking.

     Everything you are reading now has come from my thoughts conceived by what I have come to know, lived and experienced, influenced by what and who I read, and what I believe.  These are my thoughts, and I choose to introduce positive thinking because its simply better to rationalize the life around me in that manner, than to have negative thought patterns surround me.  It brings to mind a quote from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's book There's A Spiritual Solution To Every Problem, "I'd rather have this, than that."  It encompasses the idea that in any given situation where something has gone terribly wrong, I can choose to observe, accept and experience it with a positive mind that will give me the strength and courage to face the test rather than be succumbed by pain, misery and live in a state of destitution all because I attached it to a negative feeling and emotion.   No matter what, the fact remains, but how I rise from it will be a result of how my thoughts carry me through. 

If you think this is the way it has always been and dare not challenge that thought, then it will always be so; unless you think you can change it from what you have always known it to be.

     The power behind your thoughts is immense.  You can rise or fall, win or lose, succeed or fail; you may even experience all of these things simply because of the power of your thoughts.  It has been discussed at length in the Law of Attraction, introduced to millions in The Secret, and written for centuries in the Bible stories, myths and taught by great philosophers. This is not a new age way of thinking and certainly not a new discovery -- it is and always has been known that the mind thinks before we speak, before we act, before we create.  How you think, however, is simply up to you. Where will your thoughts take you today and lead you tomorrow? Yes, that's it!  Only good thoughts from now on.  Remember, as you think, so shall you be (as paraphrased and quoted by many before me).

On This Note:  You are powerful beyond measure, so be generous with loving thoughts and observe all the beauty you will materialize.

I hope this blog motivates at least one person to find their courage and start moving toward making their dream come true!

Please feel free to leave me a comment below and provide your feedback. I would love to hear from you.

Time Is On Your Side

     I just finished a really important virtual assistant project yesterday. That's why this post is a day delayed.  When I received the call on Friday late afternoon from a new client that had "found" me online, I was thrilled.  While I love my clients, tried and true, new ones always pose a unique challenge and fresh opportunity.  This one would prove no different.  I took it on, rolled up my sleeves and was determined to meet the demand -- I could hear and understood how crucial it was to be able to meet the two-day, weekend deadline.  Instantly I knew the challenge wasn't about whether I could perform the task (that was a no-brainer), it was about having time on my side. 

     Time is not a physical thing, like a ticking clock.  Time, rather is all perception.  But still we have managed to create hours and minutes and past, present and future notwithstanding the use of perception and memories -- and deadlines. 

Einstein said, "Time is an illusion," as well as, "The only reason time exists is so that not everything happens at once." 

He also said, "Time is relative." 

     And in this case, it would certainly be relative to my own experience.  So, when the new client asked whether I could get it done on time, I said, "Yes."  The challenge was all relative to my perception and actually creating the time to do it.   I gave myself my own deadline, one that was hours ahead of the client's.

     As I wrapped up the loose ends and prepared the project for delivery, I took care to slowly go through all the details.  There was no rush.  I was finally done.  And I never doubted I could do it.  As the last email went through and I received the word "Sent," I gave myself a well deserved pat on the back. Well done. I was 8 hours ahead of the deadline, but right on target for mine. 

How did I manage to stay on top of it and not stress over this huge responsibility?  It was these three things: 

Focus. Inspiration. Motivation.     

     By steering my mind in line with these three things, I was able to stay ahead and make time virtually non existent.  Yes, I set goals to finish by a certain time and take breaks and have my meals, but I knew that to look at the clock and perceive time as the enemy would never have allowed me to accomplish this task.  Rather, I used my motivation to keep me going, my inspiration to make me feel good about what I was doing, and my focus to ward off distraction.  Every time I finished a set and looked at the clock (only after it was done), I was surprised to see how fast I had actually worked.  I could see that by focusing only on the project itself and diligently applying myself to the work at that moment and not thinking about the outcome, time disappeared.  Because it is just an illusion.  Time not only stretched itself out to accommodate the completion but it sped up to appear as though I had spent hardly any time on it at all.  I can say it certainly didn't feel as though I spent every night until 1 a.m. and starting up again at 7 a.m.  I was on a simple mission -- a mission to get the job done. 


     Looking back now, I see the difference in the outcome when I let stress and frustration lead the project versus calm and tranquility.  The first one invites chaos and errors, possibly even failure while the latter invites space, clarity and ease of motion.  I realize that when it comes to getting things done, it is always best to first become accepting.  In other words, if it looks like a feat, turn it into a challenge.  Once you accept the challenge you can focus on what needs to be done.  Then, find inspiration in what your doing.  Are you helping someone, are you bringing a solution, are you creating positive change?  When you work from a place of service and can genuinely see how your efforts improve upon the things or people around, you enjoy what you are doing.  Lastly, allow the underlying motivating force be the flame that keeps your desire burning to pursue your endeavors.  When you have motivation you are more propelled toward being better and doing more, and it shows up as success.

     So the next time you are up against the clock, remember time is only an illusion. Change your perception of time and it will be your ally -- let time be on your side. And don't forget FIM (Focus. Inspiration. Motivation.).

On This Note:  "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

— John Quincy Adams

I hope this blog motivates at least one person to find their courage and start moving toward making their dream come true!

Please feel free to leave me a comment below and provide your feedback. I would love to hear from you.

Pick Yourself Up, Dust Yourself Off

Recently I had the experience of starting up a couple of new businesses that at the time felt like they were really good ideas ~ I wanted to pursue my dreams ~ One was to become a party planner, the other was to open up an evening gown store with my daughter. These were not just whims I was going through, I was following my heart. It was time for a change and I needed to discover what it was that I would be happiest doing. In order to figure that out, I would have to leave my comfort zone.  As it turned out the evening gown store didn't really take off and I decided I wasn't cut out for planning parties. These baby steps, as I look at them, are all part of figuring out what it was I really wanted to do; part of my growing process.  

Let me back up just a bit. Prior to going after those two ventures, I had gone from being a 10-year legal assistant to running a legal transcription business successfully for 5 years, followed by a two-year hiatus during which time I decided to go back to school and earn a certificate in Hospitality Management because I thought I wanted to work in special events coordinating socials and big parties. It's important to mention that in those last two years I went through a lot of ups and downs, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, while I mulled over all the things I had accomplished . . . and had lost. I came face to face with the realization that I made decisions which had affected every moment and shaped every circumstance in my life to this very day, good and bad.  The BIG fall for me actually happened when my transcription business literally went out of business from one day to the next. I received an email from my major client notifying me that they would no longer be using my services. And just like that, I was out of business. Everything I had worked for till that day quickly dissipated. I should have seen the pot boiling before all the liquid had evaporated into thin air. You live and learn, and this was going to be one huge learning curve for me.  It took several hard-learned lessons to finally teach me how to take responsibility for my actions.  Now it was time to pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again (I hear Sinatra singing in my head). 

People who knew me from before my great big fall, knew me as the person who didn't take no for an answer and I didn't take advice from anyone. I followed my will and did as I deemed fit. Being the Capricorn that I am, it's no surprise. So when I fell from the height of my so-called success, my ego was perched high above the clouds ever so clueless that I had used up all my opportunities to change my ways and the sun was about to set on my day. The ride back down was fast, furious and the spirals came so quickly that it pretty much seemed like a straight downward free-fall. When I hit the ground, I was down for the count. Think birdies and stars circling my bumped up head. It felt like I had been crushed to pieces. It was pretty hard to digest all of this at first, then it was really hard to face, and now it's an experience that has helped me draw wisdom from the err of my ways and gave me the strength to -- I repeat -- pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again; and if you've been there, you can relate to how difficult this could be.

I found out (the hard way) that it's all about how you play the game . . .

When I think about the road to following my dreams, I see it as kind of like that Candy Land game we used to play as kids. You go through the sugar coated paths picking up gumdrops and lollipops as you whisk by your opponent, but not without the risk of going through Queen Frostine's mountain or getting stuck in Molasses swamp. Every now and then you may even find yourself losing a turn. Unlike the game, however, in real life if you happen to pay attention to the voice of reason and the heart of wisdom, you may be able to save yourself from self-destruction. I've come to realize that in real life there is always a window of opportunity to get out before you lose it all -- sort of like the game when you choose a card that brings you out of the swamp and you zoom to the finish line. But if you miss it, like I did, in order to recover from the loss, it's always best to choose to look on the brighter side because at least now you have a first-hand look at what not to do EVER again.

Ah...but between the self-destruction and pulling yourself back up on your feet, what do you do to garner the strength for that? It's a decision you have to make whether you want to sink or swim. The latter is always better. I was always told that it was better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all and there's a lot of truth to that. In order for me to believe that though, I had to go through a period of growth and self care.

Here's how I got myself from there to where I am now . . .

BE KIND TO YOURSELF

In order to be kind to YOU, one needs to be able to love themselves. If you're having a hard time loving yourself, start by liking yourself again. Engage yourself in things you enjoy, things that make you smile, things that tap into your feel-good emotions. For awhile all you did was focus on the climb because you wanted to achieve that dream, and when it didn't turn out how you expected it would, you lost yourself. Now you're thinking about starting over, so be nice to you this time around by making you first. Not in a selfish kind of way, but in ways that let you notice how good life could actually be when you learn to make yourself smile again. Instead of focusing on the outcome and losing yourself in it, focus on being kind to you; making this dream come true, after all, is meant to bring you happiness.

NURTURE YOURSELF

Look outside of this physical world, connect to the divine within you and all answers, all direction, all guidance will be provided for you to upload into your being and enable yourself to create once again. Feed yourself with positive words, and remove yourself from all the negative talk and criticism of your past feat. Remember, it's in the past now.

HEAL YOUR WOUNDS

You are a creation that grows and evolves. You have been given all you need in this body within which you reside to be able to navigate through life during the best of times and during the most difficult of times. You behold a "magic wand" within your reach; look for it outside this physical, material world. Let yourself be guided by your senses and you could begin to improve your life. Take care of your physical body as well as your emotional self. It's going to be a process so give yourself time to heal. (Think: balanced chakras).

FORGIVE YOURSELF

This one is pretty tough, I'll be the first to admit. Lots of times we find ourselves believing we did nothing wrong -- it was everything else around me that went wrong, the Universe has it in for me, or some other person made this happen to me. Although, it doesn't matter what we blame or who we blame, it still weighs heavily on us all the same. The burden of carrying all that resentment, disappointment and frustration towards another person or an event is no easier than if we placed it on ourselves. Either way, you're carrying it. Forgive yourself by saying, "I'm sorry for all that weight of guilt and pain I made my self carry, regardless of where I picked it up, because I no longer wish to feel this way. I no longer allow myself to feel anything negative as it pertains to this situation." And when you take your power back and decide you no longer allow a situation or another person to weigh you down with hurtful feelings, all that weight falls off from you and you have forgiven yourself.

And last but not least (here it goes again) . . .

PICK YOURSELF UP, DUST YOURSELF OFF

It's time to start all over again with a new dream, or an old one, but with a better outlook and a different approach all the while keeping a positive attitude no matter what shows up for you. The road will be bumpy, but don't let those bumps discourage you from following your dreams. When you encounter a situation that is difficult instead of looking at it as an obstacle think of it as a fork in the road -- it's time to make a decision.  Maybe you need to deviate from the plan.  Remember, sometimes our plan is not the one that is necessarily right for us. Perhaps, our old way of thinking brought us here to this place.  It's time to think differently now, and to learn from past experiences. Never let yourself feel like a failure. If something didn't work out for you, look at it from all angles and figure out where you wobbled then strengthen your step for the next hurdle.

Be good to YOU, and let those dreams lead you to where you are going to be happy, doing what you love.

You'll never find out if you give up with the first fall. Try as many things as you want. You won't know one bad dish from another until you try them all. As for me, I've had my share of sample dishes and now I'm involved with assisting others to achieve their desires all while affording me the time to do what I love most -- I get to write and I love it!

On This Note: If you pay attention to the signs around you providing direction, the path is sure to be a lot smoother.

I hope this blog motivates at least one person to find their courage and start moving toward making their dream come true!

Please feel free to leave me a comment below and provide your feedback. I would love to hear from you.

Starting From Scratch

Yes, it is all just scratch at first. That's where we all start when we get a new idea. Usually it's something you've been thinking of for awhile, dreaming about, role playing in your head until one day you decide "I'm going to do this." That's me. Now. Writing is my passion. Pouring my heart out is my nature. Sharing my stories in a way that will touch someone else in a positive way is my dream. Whether or not it's my calling, I'll find out sooner or later.

So, I sat down and clicked on a button for starting a blog, which led me to another screen, to another and so on until I got here. I had no idea what I was going to blog about, or how I wanted to start this.  I actually don't even know where this blog is going to take me or anyone else for that matter. I just know that I have the privilege of writing something for you, the reader, and I really hope I can come up with something fresh, something that can be related to, something that will make you laugh or smile, and something real to digest that will nourish your mind and soothe your soul. Let's face it, time is precious.  There's always something to be doing, somewhere to go.  So, when you come across something that stands out and grabs your interest, you want it to be worthwhile otherwise it becomes just another waste of your time.

Having the courage to go out and do what you want is not an attribute we all have.  Most of us have been collecting and carrying around baggage for such a long time, we're weary and leery.  Think back on the all things you've told yourself as to why you couldn't design those shoes you've been imagining, or why you can't go after that promotion at work, or why it is that you won't be able to make whatever dream of yours come true.  Truth is, we all have to start somewhere.  The idea is the start of it all.  So you want to write that book that sounds so good inside your head or become an interior designer.  You want to open up that store or restaurant; maybe it's a bar or a food truck, or a bakery or a jewelry store.  It doesn't sound so crazy when you see all these things in existence already and there are actual people doing these things.  But what makes it so unattainable to you?  Could it be that baggage you've been collecting over the years of all the put-downs and mishaps, bad decisions, insecurity, lack of support. Sounds so negative, doesn't it? Turn off that broken-hearted music taking up your mind-space and start playing to the beat of a brand new tune.

It's time to start thinking positive! Replace. No, DISSOLVE all those excuses and resistances you have by focusing on how far you have come. Focus on the people who are there to encourage you and the ones you will meet along the way.  Focus on all the different phases of your life and what you have accomplished in each of them.  By looking back at where you've been and what you did, you're able to review the outcome of those decisions you made and where they brought you to. Focus on the stuff you learned from those experiences without beating yourself up for any mistakes you may think you made along the way.  A few scrapes and bruises perhaps to the ego, but all in all you're still standing, and you're standing strong. And if you don't believe you've got the strength inside you, think again because simply by being able to visualize a dream means there is still more drive left inside you.

All it takes is a dream, a desire to make it happen, and the will to do it. Little by little . . .  you pick up a pen and doodle your design on a napkin, you jot down your idea on a Post-it note, you cut-up an old pair of jeans and turn them into sporty hot pants.   It starts with lemons until you squeeze them into a fresh, sweet delicious pitcher of lemonade. No matter how impossible it seems to be at the time, with just a little bit of energy that you put into the idea, you are already on your way to making it happen.

I have been writing in journals for as long as I can remember.  I've written poems and short stories.  I've written for other people from complaint letters to proposal letters. My writing has been posted on social networks from comment boxes to documents, sent in emails to television personalities and even recently found its way into a published book where I had the honor of writing a bit of content and provide editing. I found my courage and finally decided it was time to let my writing evolve and make my dream a reality. Yesterday a letter . . today a blog . . . tomorrow, well heck, maybe it'll be my best seller.

On This Note:  There will be bumps, I'm not sugar coating the road to making dreams come true.  My next blog will discuss how I stood right back up and dusted myself off.

I hope this blog motivates at least one person to find their courage and start moving toward making their dream come true!

Please feel free to leave me a comment below and provide your feedback. I would love to hear from you.