The are parts of my job that I love. And there are parts of my job that I dislike. For a long time I resisted the disliked parts. I poured so much energy into complaining, ruminating, and resisting that I sometimes lost sight of the passion and purpose behind what I do for a living.
Then in August I went on vacation – a vacation that allowed for the perfect amount of mental space to give me some much-needed perspective.
What I realized while on vacation is that I could either waste my time resisting what is, or simply surrender to it.
At first, surrendering felt like giving up. It felt like I was giving in to the parts of my job that I don’t like, instead of fighting for what makes me happy. But it occurred to me that if I took even half of the energy that I was spending on resisting, and put that energy into things that make me happy, miracles would result.
It was a simple shift in perspective, but it made a huge difference.
Now, instead of spending my time on thoughts like, “Why do I have to work on X when I’d so much rather be working on Y.” I simply accept that in this moment, at this particular time, I am working on X. And, like all things, eventually X will pass.
Sometimes when things are difficult, we mistakenly believe that the hard times will last forever. But they never do. Everything passes and changes, because this is the nature of life. Nothing stays the same. When I say that all things pass, I don’t mean that they pass exactly when we want them to. Sometimes our difficulties last months – or years – but eventually they shift.
And guess what? Even if our difficulties never leave us, we always have a choice about how we perceive them. We can choose to waste our energy on complaining, or we can choose a new perspective. As Gabby Bernstein often says, every time we shift our perspective from fear to love, we experience a miracle.
So my question to you is this. Where can you shift your perspective? Maybe you can’t change some aspect of your job right now, but can you find love in the lessons that you’re learning and the growth that you’re experiencing? If there is absolutely nothing lovable about your job, find simple pleasures in other areas of your life. Spend some time in nature or buy yourself some fancy chocolate or hand cream.
At the moment, even the future of my employment is uncertain. My contract is up at the end of 2015, and my lab might not have funding to keep me on board. So I have a choice. I can spend my time worrying and ruminating about what the future holds, or I can surrender. By surrendering to what is, I believe I’m opening up space for amazing new opportunities. And while worry still sneaks its way into my consciousness sometimes, it is being increasingly replaced by surrender.
I’m committed to trusting that as long as I follow my heart, things will work out.
This might sound trite. A little cheesy, even. But it’s true. My heart has asked me to do some rather ridiculous things in the past, but every time I’ve followed it, it has led me to new experiences that have enriched my life in beautiful ways.
My advice to you is this:
In this moment, surrender to what is. @BethanyButzer (Click to Tweet!)
Know that what is meant to be is already happening – even if it feels difficult. Experience a miracle simply by shifting your perspective. And know that like all things, this too shall pass.
Bethany Butzer, Ph.D. is an author, speaker, researcher, and yoga teacher who helps people create a life they love. Check out her book, The Antidepressant Antidote, follow her on Facebook and Twitter, and join her whole-self health revolution.
If you’d like tips on how to create a life you love, plus some personal instruction from Bethany, check out her online course, Creating A Life You Love: Find Your Passion, Live Your Purpose and Create Financial Freedom.
Image courtesy of Jan Erik via Unsplash.com.
