By Paul Haywood
A story of opening our hearts and releasing our true character at work and no longer hiding our true selves.
In an environment where we spend more time during a week with our colleagues than our families, being the truest version of ourselves is more rewarding.
Hiding Our True Selves
Hiding our true selves from our working environment is common. Being yourself and not the self you think you need to be is difficult, but what comes from taking the easier route?
I have learnt that if what we do doesn’t get us up in the morning, then we should change it. If we don’t know how to change it, then find someone to help and you’ll get there.
Millions of us commute to work. I have sympathy for those that live on the south coast of England over the last few months as the transport infrastructure has failed them. A commute shouldn’t adversely affect us. I have personal experience here and the journey can negatively affect the destination.
Once we’re at work, many file into the car park, perhaps to their usual space, then perhaps check on social media, hang on for the last five minutes of the podcast, Desert Island Discs, and then we grab our bag et al, and lock up.
At this point, I ask you all to just check you haven’t hermetically sealed your kernel of being in that shell of steel and glass. Kernel of being?!
By kernel of being I mean your heart.
There’s every chance your Mills and Boon mix-tapes are a secret for your ears only, or that Backstreet Boys are your band for the Monday to Friday journey and one you’d rather your mates did not know about. Aside from the comical, I have seen far too little heart at work, and I fear that many of us lock it up in the car, parking our kernel of being.
Employees Are More Than Commodities
I firmly believe that employers can too easily see employees as commodities of value and not valued commodities.
Perhaps it is our duty to remind ourselves that we are more compelling, genuine, authentic, powerful, attractive, inspirational and aspirational if we connect ourselves inextricably to our work.
There are inherent dangers, working with a heart is working with an open heart and that risks criticism and hurt.
“Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.” – Mother Theresa.
“How desperately difficult it is to be honest with oneself. It is much easier to be honest with other people. What is true is invisible to the eye. It is only with the heart that one can see clearly.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
Tomorrow, do you think you could have a go at taking your heart with you into the office? Park your car not your heart, and thrive.
Search. Learn. Soar.
Reproduced with permission, originally posted here
1in4 UK Book Store:
[amazon_link asins='1977009336' template='ProductGrid' store='iam1in4-20' marketplace='US' link_id='ffcb5f04-1297-11e8-8b2c-c721ea9703cc']If you enjoyed this article please share it using the buttons below…
UNITED STATES
UNITED KINGDOM