How do you feel when you head to the office or to the place you work? If you are like most of us, the answer to that question is, “It depends.” What it depends on is probably what happened or what we were thinking before we walked out of the door. Try this on for a moment: That “it depends” is what our success of the day depends on!
Wow, really? Yes! Contemplate deciding, as you get ready to work or head out the door, that this will be a productive, profitable and enjoyable day! When we enter the outside world of freeways, work and other people, setting our intention to have the best day possible is a form of professional enlightenment.
Enlightenment is one of those words bandied about by many people in many circumstances but what is “enlightenment” and how do I get there? It seems the traditionalists say only those most grand wizards and gurus get enlightened. The poor, lowly humans can only struggle and seek to become “enlightened,” rarely succeeding, because being “enlightened” seems to be only for the most pure, the most sacred, the Saints, those holy of holiest people.
The word enlightenment in the English dictionary says that Enlightenment was a philosophical movement of the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasized the use of reason to scrutinize previously accepted doctrines and traditions and it brought about many humanitarian reforms. It is generally referred to as The Enlightenment.
This philosophical movement consisted of thinkers who consciously sought human advancement through logic, reason, and criticism. This was at a time when religions defined human civilization and advancement. So the “enlightened” ones shifted from the mythical, religious perspectives to that of logic and reason to think on and seek advancement of human civilization.
So, what if we carried with us into our professional world the perspective that the service we provide is somehow contributing to human advancement? Any product that we work with can fall into this category. Why? Because sometimes it is not about the product or service itself. It is all about how we engage our work. It is about what we bring to the table personally. Our attitude, our attention, our communication style, and our ethics all contribute to the elevation of humanity. Every interaction, every day in our business or professional world is an opportunity for us to shine our light, en-light-ening civilization.
Experiencing the realness of enlightenment is the acceptance that we are living consciously, that we are being the change we want to see in the world.
It is the present moment impacting every step of the way. Looking at it that way, doesn’t it seem like the key factor to our success is our attitude? Not only are those in our immediate family depending on us, all of humanity is. And … it all starts with how we feel when we walk out the door each morning.
Thank you for this article, Darity! I believe that enlightenment can be seamless between our personal and professional worlds as you have so generously highlighted!
Thank you for this thought-provoking article, Darity.
Attitude can be a starting place, but not the only determinant of success or living a fulfilling life. What’s a person’s heartset or energy presence as well as their “mindset” or “attitude”?
There’s an energy presence that people bring to their interactions at work and at home. Some thoughts are wonderful. Others stifling and limiting. Cultivating a witness consciousness, a quiet being of the human being can be where “enlightenment” begins. Nurturing the ability to quiet the busy mind, drop into the heart, listen from silence can source many shifts. A person’s energy presence can be even more important than the words they speak or the deeds they perform. What’s the energy or who is the “being” fueling the words and deeds, the attitude and the actions?
I appreciate this interesting topic and the perspective and history you’ve offered.
Hi Darity. Wonderful thoughts and I have engaged in this discussion many times with professionals who are unsettled or seeking something more in life. Many times, they have not even thought about a soul purpose in their career or business. The prophet Jesus said (paraphrasing here) “act as if it is so!” If we want to see a better world, we must create it in our own life first. If we want to feel a greater purpose, then our work is the most important place to start. It consumes most of our day. Thanks for giving this topic a voice.