Allow Your Mind to Rest and Allow the Universe to Let You Know

Dear Carina,

I'm in a job I don't enjoy, working for people whose "values" don't resonate with me, and work for/with micromanagers. The work environment is stressful and the majority of the people are unhappy (employee morale is at an all-time low). How do I maintain my positive outlook and release the stress in my body (I hurt all over, especially my jaw, and even as I write about
this to you, my body tenses) until my work environment changes to something more suitable? I am trying to show little kindnesses to others at work (bringing in cookies, giving hugs and words of encouragement) to be of service and add a little light to everyone's experience.

I am grateful for any advice you have to offer.

With love and gratitude,
Michelle

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Dear Michelle,

Thank your for your thoughtful sharing. I can tell this is a situation that weighs heavily on you, and I feel for you.

What I want to tell you right away is that years ago I found myself in a situation that I would describe as very similar to what you describe. I was miserable and felt totally stuck, not seeing what direction I should - or even could - take. I used to say, "I hate my job," all the time, and it was so painful to have the word "hate" coming out my mouth so much.

I tell you this straight away because I want you to know that I am living proof that these things shift. So just know that.

In asking the questions that you are asking, you are asking the Universe to shift. You are acknowledging that you - and your thinking mind - don't see the solution.

That's key here. Solutions to these kinds of conundrums don't arise from the thinking mind, from strategic planning sessions, and definitely not from getting on board with the others in the work environment who are also feeling oppressed.

Anything that you can do to shift yourself from your thinking, strategizing mind to your quiet, spacious, true self is a key turning the lock that you find yourself held by.

I'm going to recommend a couple of tools to you. These both made a big difference for me during those years back at my job where I was desperate for a shift.

1. Read Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. Then read it again. There is so much in here that will give you access to all sorts of freedom on multiple levels in your work situation and beyond. He is anchoring you in your true home and is showing you {what I discovered with great relief} the true purpose of all experience. It is profound, compassionate, and powerful.

2. Consider taking a training and development course like the Landmark Forum. Landmark courses have invaluable training in high-level communication for which I'll always be pleased and grateful. Their intensive weekend was where I headed in my own work-life-desperation. I got so much more out of it than I'd expected, AND I was able to get a lot of relief in my experience in the workplace, and then I could truly bring that cheer that you are doing your best to bring now.

By the time I finally left that job, I was much more confident, clear and peaceful about my choices, rather than feeling like I was fleeing from an oppressor.

Michelle, I have all faith in you and in your open-hearted path. You already know everything I'm saying here.

Take extra good care of yourself, treating yourself like the precious jewel that you are. Keep letting the Universe know that you surrender your questioning to Its perfect wisdom and allow yourself some quiet so that you can hear both the subtle and overt answers.

All love,

Carina

If other questions arise from this writing, please email nowstayopen@gmail.com.

Send Your Organizing Mind on Vacation

Dear Carina,

How do I stay open, and in that creative space... when it really really really seems like I have "too much to do"... do I remove things from my schedule? Make the "doing" of life simpler?

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Dear Friend,

Thank you so much for your beautiful question, and for christening our new site! Blessings to you and to all.

You naturally have that space of creativity within you. It is what created you and what continues to create. In asking to be receptive to it, you are making space for it in your life. Your intention is there and is welcomed by the Divine. It wants to awaken to what it's capable of doing, to the magic and joy that's available. It loves to delight in itself.

This is to say, J, that you ARE CREATIVE SPACE, no matter what else is happening. If your outside circumstances look very full, you can still maintain the easy buzz of relaxed and spacious life.

The paradox is that the space may appear while maintaining a very full life.

One way you can play with this is to feel your inner body periodically throughout your day. You can feel within your torso, the bottoms of your feet, your fingers (hands and feet are usually pretty easy places to feel life flow). You can do a gentle scan and feel sensations in different parts of the body. This brings you right here, into the openness of the moment, into alignment with creative source.

Another thing you can do is shift your focus from objects around you to the space between the objects, and, at the same time, feel yourself within your body. Allow your body and being to recognize the space that it is.

You may find in time that the opening of space in this way naturally leads you to a schedule that feels less full. You may find that some activities you used to enjoy or feel obligated to do don't seem as important anymore. When spaciousness becomes a priority, space will open. Or you may find yourself balancing skillfully the world of inner stillness and outer production. Our friend Jeff Klein wrote an article in his blog Working for Good - Making a Difference While Make a Living about just this sort of thing.

And YES, you CAN take things off of your schedule! You can go inside and know how in alignment you really feel with activities and you can see where you might make some space available for yourself. If productivity is the goal, I personally feel much more productive when I listen to myself and rest and make space for rest when I need it. If I take a full day off, I'm ready the next day. Or, maybe I take off another day and rest some more.

Turn your desire over to the Divine itself. You need not will yourself to do anything differently. You need not feel pressured, even to create what you want to create. You can ask in prayer for what you want and allow the Divine to move you. We don't have to be in charge. Surrender, my dear.

If it's more space and creativity that we want, we can ask for it. We can send our organizing mind on vacation from having to figure anything out. Then our deepest wisdom has space to arise, speaking to us directly from that place of joyful creation, our true nature.

Much love and crayons,

Carina

p.s. At the risk of adding one more "should" to your world, may I recommend Julia Cameron's renowned course, The Artist's Way, for really digging into what your deep desires are and for exfoliating imposed tasks. Even if you do nothing else from the course, the exercise of writing daily "Morning Pages" can have a space-making and creative effect in surprising ways. You may suddenly find yourself picking up that guitar. Consider yourself warned!

I also recommend the 1910 masterpiece, The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles. This tiny and truly rich book reminds us to work steadily but never hurriedly. The rushing, says Mr. Wattles, is born out of fear of lack. He also trains us in always working with the "Supreme Power" which is that same creative source and space that you ask about -- and which is in us at all times. Says Mr. Wattles, we cannot fail.

If other questions arise from this writing, please email nowstayopen@gmail.com.