I recently went back to Corporate America. No, I'm not giving up my writing (obviously), but it was time to move forward with a new experience.
Over the past five years, I've immersed myself in teaching, writing and speaking about how to create a workplace where people are energized, feel good and are happy. And how to create a work-life people love. Through my books and writings, I've gained a reputation as the "energy girl" who pushes the envelope with discussion topics like spirituality, meditation, and mindfulness at work. Now it's time to live it--an author is only as good as the sum of their experiences.
Since jumping back into the corporate vortex (that is certainly not Sedona, AZ) here's what I've learned. "Living it" is fucking hard! You can read, write and practice mindfulness techniques sunrise to sunset, but at the end of the day living it is far from easy.
I have found myself becoming my own worst client--unexplained depression, exhaustion, no time for self and a spinning mind that replays people's perceptions of me and my performance. I don't tell anyone this--it's my little secret. On the outside, I look like a professional confident woman people look up to. How little they know. Oh, and I automatically gained 10 pounds! How did that happen? Yep, cafeteria food, long hours at my desk, no time to workout and lack of sleep. Hell, I'm living the American dream!
Last week I had a "come to Jesus, come to Buddha moment." A friend of mine so generously held up a mirror and said, "Wake the fuck up!" Okay, he was a bit more polished than that, but I heard, "Wake the fuck up!".
Simply put, he reminded me that I had it all backwards. I've been giving all my energy, "my all" to this company and giving nothing to myself. (Now listen up, this is key...) I've been fitting my entire life into my corporate job rather than fitting my corporate job into my life. So much so, that for the past four months I've literally given up everything that I love--everything that makes my soul sing. For god sakes, I even gave up writing!
I'm not going to pretend that after one conversation I'm fixed and have all the answers. On the contrary... I've just begun my journey forward, and I have no doubt that every step forward will be a lesson that we'll all learn from together (because I'm going to write about it).
You see, I'm on a mission. Together, we're going to crack this nut! We're going to figure out how to live as healthy well-balanced spiritual beings in a corporate world that's anything but balanced or spiritual. We're going to learn how to master mindfulness in the workplace and reclaim our calm--reclaim our life!
Lesson 1: My personal mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of humanity by making the power of good the driving force in business throughout the world. The "power of good" won't come from forcing change in corporate process and operating models. The power of good will happen when we all figure out how to live as healthy well-balanced spiritual beings in a corporate vortex that is anything but spiritual and well-balanced.
Bring it on Universe! We're ready.
Gina Soleil, is a speaker and acclaimed author of Fuel Your Business: How to energize people, ignite action and drive profit. She blogs and speaks about how to create a business where people are energized, feel good and are happy. Visit GinaSoleil.com and follow her on Twitter @GinaSoleilWorld.