The New "Work" Paradigm

"Vision without action is a daydream
Action without vision is a nightmare"
Japanese proverb

Written by Joy Broughton, Life Coach

"There is a reason you are seeing so much chaos out there . . . there is a major shift going on and to all those who are not actively conscious it is reeking havoc."
love p

This is an email message I received from one of my dearest friends. Her words rang true for me. I've been experiencing this shift gradually for the last 10 years. However, this latest shift is different. Between coaching clients and my consulting projects something very new and different is happening. The chaos is magnified more now than ever. I am seeing companies broken apart quickly, contracts falling apart, people displaced. I am also seeing people do extremely well during this time.

In one week, I received a call from a client who is a stock broker. She was laid off. It was unexpected. She was reeling and all of a sudden time seemed to be moving faster. Shortly after that call I received a call from a past client. He, too, had been laid off. He didn't see it coming. A few days later, a friend called to ask advice about taking a job that would cause her to move to Nashville. It required a lot of travel and the money is great. By the end of the call, she had hired me to coach her through the transition and convinced me that I should travel to Nashville with her. Road trip? You betcha! We pretended we were Thelma and Louise (minus the last scene, of course) and had a blast. So far so good, she's enjoying the new job.

What I've noticed is that the people who are doing well and making the shift with minor difficulty are those who have made their personal and spiritual growth a priority. They know who they are. Meditation, grounding, and journalling are part of their daily routine. Even with their busy schedules, they make time for themselves. Some of my clients are corporate clients. The same is true for them. Sometimes this world does a "shake, rattle, and roll," but those who have been working on staying very conscious seem to be doing better than the rest.

One thing is clear to me. We are all being called to examine our relationship to our work. Here are some of my observations. The people who are finding their center in the chaos and are "riding the wave" so to speak are people who; love their work; are working their passion; are good at living in duality; have a clear vision of who they are and where they are going; embrace abundance as a way of life; and have developed a mind that rests in solutions. Adversity is a vehicle for creativity to them. Most of all they are people who live their lives consciously. They embrace uncertainty. They are the people who remember the line from the movie, "Titanic" when Leonardo DiCaprio said to Kate Winslet, "I have $10 in my pocket, but I know how the world works." They are people who understand what this means.

If you feel like you are behind the times in your efforts to realign yourself (your true self) with your work, take heart. It's not too late. What it takes is making a decision about who you are and what you want. In Marsha Sinatar's new book, To Build The Life You Want, Create The Work You Love, she writes about how we should not worry about the "how to do things." Instead we need to concern ourselves with who we are and what we want. Ever since I read Marsha's book, Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow, I've dedicated myself to helping people find their right livelihood. We all have unique skills and talents. Work is Love Made Visible, as written in The Prophet.

To get started, seek out a professional to help you, a counselor, a therapist, a coach. It's important to get help with this. We are living in very exciting times. This is the age where information and creativity merge. When you know who you are and what your vision is your journey is an adventure rather than a nightmare. And remember:

"Vision without action is a daydream
Action without vision is a nightmare"

Joy Broughton, Right Livelihood Consultant & Business Coach, has been coaching people for over ten years. With over 20 years experience in sales, advertising and personnel, she's a bridge from the business world to the spiritual world. In a gentle and powerful manner, Joy will help you discover your passion and live with purpose.

This article was published in the "ALTERNATIVES" Fall & Winter 2001 edition, by the Reunion Center in Pleasant Hill CA.

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