“When people change their attitudes, they change their perceptions, and as their perceptions change, they continue to change their attitude.” Julia Cameron
I’ve started reading Julia Cameron’s “The Artists Way at Work”, a workbook aimed at sparking creativity and bringing this way of thinking into the workplace. Yes… creativity.
Too many of us think of an artist or a writer when we think of creativity. “Me? Creative?” Yes, you are creative because you can adjust your attitude and behaviour to make the most of whatever task or project you’re performing.
In one section of her book, Julia Cameron talks about how we lose touch with our inner life and feel dragged down at work and cut off from our core strengths. Often work becomes an albatross around our necks.
If you consider your position unfulfilling and frustrating, rather than resent your job, you can learn a renewed gratitude towards it. She points out that, “It’s the belief, the myth, that is the albatross, not the job itself. The realization that it is your mind that keeps you stuck, not your job, is often a profound realization for many.” Perhaps, it’s time to dump your albatross?
Five ways you can dump your albatross
- List ten reasons why your job is important to you.
- Imagine you are a Zen monk and make every move part of your practice. In other words, please pay attention to every detail of our day. What did you learn?
- List ten things you like about the people who work with you. Who are your favourites? Why? Who do you like the least? Why? How would your work experience be different if you liked each other? What would you change? What would they do?
- List the positives of your current work situation that you can use in the future.
- Whatever task or meeting you need to attend, become curious and look at your work with greater interest and possibility.
When you expand your thinking and change your narrative, you will discover a new-found purpose for your work.
