Introduction
What do most of us long for? A happy, healthy life? Certainly. And if you feel that you’re not yet living that, then it must follow that you are unhappy in some way. Once you acknowledge this you usually make the connection that liberation from your suffering will bring the desired contentment and so you long for that. It can become a vicious cycle: dissatisfaction — desire — happiness — longing — dissatisfaction. But liberation is possible, and here in the first three steps of this process you will learn about your cycle of frustration and what has prevented you from living happily, especially with the work you do.
Although it may be hard to look at the how and why, you cannot extract yourself from the pervasive dissatisfaction of your life until you do. Here in “Discovery” you will come to understand how you have been looking all your life for something that doesn’t exist. That which you thought was solid is constantly changing and moving—you along with it. But rather than being frightening, this truth can be reassuring.
As you continue to make your way through these first three steps, as you confront the truth, you will slowly (or in some instances, very quickly) realize that this truth will set you free. You are not a cliché, but sometimes your life is. This is neither bad nor good—it simply is.
Approach the work suggested here as you would a job that you love to do. Put everything you have into this work. Practice and see it as an opportunity to express your beliefs, your ideals, your inner truth. And then take this same approach to your life’s work. What you learn here can be immediately transferred to your everyday work life. This is a practical, usable process, not a theoretical one.
Some of what you uncover may be difficult for your ego to accept. Do not judge or criticize what you discover. Instead, use it for your own benefit. Don’t let it rule you. Know that you are in charge here and it is for you (and not your ego) that you do this work.
By the time you get to “The Path” you will have a clearer picture of who you are, where you’ve come from and where you want to go. You will be ready to accept the challenges of this process and your day-to-day work experience will begin to improve. You will spend more time each day in the events of the day rather than in yesterday or tomorrow. This alone, in a very concrete, experiential way, will usher in a new sense of peace and contentment. In “Discovery” you will learn how to be in harmony with the changing circumstances of your life and be comfortable with nothing permanent to hold on to. Your spirit will then be able to soar and your work life will mirror this newfound strength and happiness.
But don’t take my word for it. Discover this for yourself. Do these first three steps with thoroughness and you will see for yourself. What can be better than that?
To be continued…
from Work From the Inside Out – 7 Steps to Loving What You Do
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