A Practitioner’s Perspective
by Brittany Crist, RScP
I hit a rough patch at work late last year. I found myself feeling overwhelmed by the number of things that were on my to do list versus the number of things I could do in any given day/week. The math wasn’t adding up, there was just no way I could keep up at the level I expected of myself.
I found myself frustrated, overwhelmed and a bit cranky. This was the first time I had felt this way in my role, and I knew that it wasn’t sustainable for me to feel this way. This was all self-imposed, my work team never said “hey you aren’t doing enough, work harder”. This was me being a high achiever and me forgetting for a moment, that just because I’m at work doesn’t mean I’ve stopped being a spiritual being.
I like to understand how things got to be the way that they are. I wanted to understand how I went from excitement and joy over my job to overwhelm and frustration.
The first thing I realized was I was in reaction mode most of the time. I have since made some changes to increase efficiency, but I was also in reaction mode with my emotions and expectations. That’s what I want to talk about.
I can bring into my spiritual practice my emotions and my expectations around work. I can shift them with intention. I can decide how I want to feel at any given moment. I bring my consciousness with me everywhere I go, and I had slipped into a pattern of setting it aside each morning when I walked into work.
Over the course of several weeks, I used each workday as a spiritual experiment. Here are four ways I shifted my focus at work. They can be applied to other areas such as relationships, health, or anything you may have going on.
First, I started with gratitude. I sat down and listed everything I loved and was grateful for in my work role. This took me longer than I thought it would because there was so much to be grateful for. I also asked myself, is this still where I want to be? The answer was a resounding YES! Gratitude gave me perspective and a boost in my internal vibration.
Second, I affirmed a specific God quality for the day in my morning prayers. Many days, it’s my white stone word – Joy. If my quality was Peace, then I looked for all the ways I encountered Peace. I looked for the people, the places, the small moments when Peace was front and center. I took my focus off my to do list and instead focused on how that quality shows up at work while I’m working on my to do list. The difference is subtle, but it’s huge. Who knew that you could find Peace or Joy in a new feature of Airtable, or on a call with an insurance company, but I have now that I’m paying attention.
Third, I did a self-assessment. The situation with my workload isn’t likely to change, in fact it’s even busier now than last year when I had this realization. Was I willing to shift my feelings and expectations around it? I was the one who chose to be upset. I love my job and I want to grow and evolve with this company. So I made the decision to release my feelings of frustration and overwhelm. I choose to show up and give 100% every day. I know that’s enough
Lastly, I had an authentic conversation with my manager about what I was feeling. I asked for clarification on workload and expectations and she agreed that coming in each day and giving 100% is more than enough. She offered to help me with a project I was working on and asked me to let her know when I needed help or was feeling overwhelmed. I felt seen and heard. It was a reminder that I can always speak up. And now I do.
It’s been a few months since I shifted my focus. I am happier and more relaxed at work and outside of work. My coworkers are relating differently to me. It’s more like it was at the beginning. I feel more connected and a part of the team.
I used gratitude, prayer, self-reflection, and asking for help to place my focus on God. Where is your focus each day? What are the most common things you think about, worry about, plan for? Give your mind a God centered job so it can let go of the chatter, the scrolling, and the to-do lists. How do you want to feel today? Put your focus on that one answer and allow Spirit to answer.
“Your thoughts have the power to shape your reality; choose wisely.” – Ernest Holmes