Do you feel your inner self is well aligned with your work and life?
Are you doing things at work and life that have very little reflection of who you are, what your strengths are and your values or ideas of a perfect life? Do you often end up feeling like a bit of an alien at your workplace?
Perhaps, the fault is not with you or with your workplace. Perhaps it has to do with years of conditioning that made you disconnect or disregard what you truly value.
Most of the time when I ask a student, “What is your perfect life in the future?”, they often share about cars, luxury items, travel, entertainment etc. They rarely have a vision of what they are doing, what they are feeling, what problems are they solving, who are they surrounded by etc.
This is our conditioning, we aspire for a life which is high in luxury, measure our success based on how many material goods we have been able to accumulate and show-off. For many their self-esteem is fueled by materialistic desires and wishes.
But for some individuals, work and life need to have a higher meaning. It is about what they are doing, how are they contributing to society, what are they learning, are they growing inwardly. For such people, it becomes important to align their work and life and the basis for the same.
Some call it purpose, spiritual texts refer to it as swadharma.
At LifeVidya we believe that aligning your inner-self with the outer work that you do is a sure path for growth and fulfilment.
Your material needs also get met on the way, but that is not the focus it is a side-effect. And as you find your work more fulfilling your need for entertainment to numb your brain of the week’s tension reduces, and your entertainment expenses also reduce. Your health bills reduce as you are enjoying your work and life, there is less stress and illness. Your social bills reduce as you will find the company of a select few like you who have opted for a different and more aligned way of living. So, the way you look at money changes and evolves to fit who you are.
Yes, this perspective challenges mainstream thought and can create a lot of tension or curiosity in the minds of the students and parents we work with.
But think about it, in the years to come many professions are going to be taken over by AI based technologies. In this situation, as a human being what can you fall back on? You could either embrace fear and uncertainty or you could go deep within, reflect and nurture your talents and strengths and make this your offering to society.
In this way work is no longer only an exchange of goods and services, it is an offering for the joint upliftment of yourself and society. You learn and serve while society receives and pays you for the exchange. As they find value in what they receive, your satisfaction, growth and aspiration to serve strengthens and you continue the cycle of growth, work and service.
To many this sounds idealistic and not practical. To many, work is an opportunity to extract more money for less work, to increase profitability and material gains. Hence our workplace feels like a shark tank with each one trying to grab and snatch more and more. And yet, we all know there is an inner-emptiness that often holds your hand as you get engulfed with this objective and mindset.
So as a parent or professional, where would you like to align your life? To a career that seems lucrative but has a limited expression of yourself, or towards a career that is hard work and fulfilling, bringing in material success in the long run?
If you want to align your life to your talents, strengths and greater good of society, you need to start building the muscle of patience and hard work.
Here are some tips to align & start your inner-work:
- Cultivate patience and stop engaging in immediate gratification: (Some everyday examples of immediate gratification are ordering quick deliveries, expecting immediate rewards for your effort) All good things take time to grow organically, if you want to live an authentic life, allow time and be patient with yourself and others. Stop engaging in quick gratification of your needs, defer, plan and see if you need it.
- Seek Solitude: Spend time by yourself without your phone or any gadget. Breathe, ground yourself and see what non-digital activities draw you. This is a clue to where you may find flow or your fulfilment
- Cut out the Noise: Stay connected with the outside world but stay grounded within. Research, network, meet people, but don’t get swayed by what everyone says. Each one has a perspective to share based on their wisdom and intention. Listen, but don’t get engulfed in the same. Process, assimilate and move forward with what aligns within.
- Journal: Start writing down how you spend your everyday time and how different activities makes you feel. What gives you a sense of contentment? What triggers you? As you journal you will start developing a great level of awareness within, this is very helpful if you want to align your life and work within.
Remember when you align, the universe will support you. There is a mysticism about this, so logical explanations fall short. But it is true and an experienced reality. You know it as you walk the path. In case it seems too risky for you, build the muscle of courage. Start with some of the tips above.
If you want to learn more about how other students have benefitted by aligning their work and life, you can hear the experience of a student here. LifeVidya Student Journey Audio recording
If you want to know more about how you can align your work and life, please book a discovery call here Book A Session with LifeVidya
If you want to explore and understand the spiritual basis of aligning your Passion and Purpose with your Occupation, click here Making Passion and Purpose Coincide with Occupation: Dr. Srividya
To more Joy & Alignment in your work and life. Smiles and love
