Spirit, spirituality, soul, and emotion are rarely welcomed, let alone utilized in the workplace. Work identity for many people a mask they wear. Even if they can express themselves freely, it barely involves showing up as a spirit in a body.
Let work be the expression of who you are
"What you do is the representation of the greatest spirit that finds a vehicle through work to be seen." David Whyte
We tend to think that spirit and work are separate. But by bringing the wholeness of who you really are to the workplace, it will make the work you do fulfilling. Work becomes an expression of your character, and you direct your genius toward creation.
You might think that it's a very idealized vision, yet, it was already mentioned thousands of years ago in the Bhagavad Gita, and was known in several wisdom traditions.
However, even in ancient times (or even more so back then) it was a privilege for a few.
While in various aspects modern people live in abundance and relative freedom compared to how it was hundreds of years or just decades ago, the idea that career fulfillment can come through the full expression of spirit can sound weird, or at least unrealistic.
Stay with the spirit
While we have come so far in the modern workplace, how are we not so far yet?
As with all things in this world, the change starts on an individual (soul) level. Asking ourselves questions about how we could express and embody who we really are is a continuous practice. Regardless of the employment type or work you do, whether it's paid or not, you can choose to be true to yourself, and this capacity can be cultivated. You can choose by looking at what you do as an infinite source of possibility, a playground to show up, seek your truth, and stay with your spirit.
In 2018, I was working for a startup in Michigan. Leading the Business Operations, the job description did not include anything about spiritual service. Yet, I considered it as part of what I did. I was committed to making that place and the people with whom I worked together a better place, one more connected and liberated than how I first found it.
Besides doing my job, I started a whiteboard project with soulful messages, I expressed gratitude, hugged people as often as I could, listened to their very human sides, concerns, and stories, offered guided meditation in the building, and openly shared about my beliefs both in the meeting rooms and beyond. I remember before joining the company, I was sitting on a bench, and listing all the future colleagues I'll have. I was writing down good wishes and blessings for all of them before I ever met many of them in person. I wanted to bring light into people's lives and if it's on the yoga mat or in the meeting rooms, I'm fine with that. Would it work for everyone? Certainly not. Did it work for me? Definitely yes, because being passionate about both business and spirituality has been part of who I am.
Reframing who you really are
Many of you are in the job search process now. After tech layoffs and constant changes in the field of business, I see clients in my coaching practice who come to me with a mindset heavily infused by fear and lack. I've been working with an artist who has been running a thriving freelance business for over a decade and she wonders about how she could continue experiencing the hardships in the past years. I recently exchanged messages with an expat ex-colleague who built a successful advisor practice, at times being employed for his unique expertise in three countries. After a year of applications, he started doubting himself and I sensed the energy of lower-frequency emotions showing up.
The fear in the mind increases through identification with what you do. "I'm a consultant." "I'm a CEO." "I'm a founder."
By changing the equation and strengthening the belief that you're the spirit, work becomes an expression of who you are. Your identity is no longer tied to a job, a company, a title, or a professional construct. Work can be anything in which you practice activities that utilize your zone of genius. Over time, this attitude leads you to opportunities and creates work in which your spirit is in motion.
If you're just getting started or feel skepticism, stay with me for a bit: the fearful mind tends to think in black or white. It's either a full expression of spirit or none of it at work. It's a spectrum. (I often bring this idea into coaching to show the myriad of possible options that any situation holds.) A spectrum in which you can take a step with each thought and action you choose.
Another client I'm working with felt great frustration at her workplace and came to coaching with the firm intention to leave as soon as possible. After shifting the focus to her future vision as an entrepreneur, and raising the frequency of her thoughts and emotions (by reframing thought patterns and cultivating emotions that vibrate at a higher frequency), she already started to see how she could channel her current work toward the greater goal she has - instead of spending valuable energy on getting out of it. At times, making tiny moves on this spectrum brings more fulfillment than taking a big leap without preparation.
In which ways could you express yourself at work today?
Hi, I'm Zsanett. I help women, leaders, and organizations navigate changes, make authentic and heart-led choices, and step into their next chapter with confidence and clarity. 💫
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