Spirituality in the Workplace

As people return to the workplace, it can be a big adjustment for most. It is interesting what becomes our normal – hanging out at home, binging on food, the computer, or TV, and also isolating. In suddenly being thrust into a social environment, it can be overwhelming. “Am I safe?” “Is everyone following the safety precautions properly?” “Should I engage with others or keep my distance?” “Will my work kill me?”

Anxiety Lowers Your Immunity

It is important to know that anxiety lowers your immunity and makes you more vulnerable to illness. In bolstering your emotional wellbeing, your physical health improves. Plus it feels good.

This line of thinking formed the base of Dr. Bernie Segal’s practice. If you aren’t aware of him, Dr. Segal treated people with inoperable forms of cancer and the vast majority healed through addressing their situation emotionally without surgery. His book “Love, Medicine, and Miracles” advocated the importance of having a purpose in life and always pursuing it.

It seems like our collective purpose has been hiding from the COVID virus. With the constant thoughts of the COVID virus, it is a focus on death. However, with a focus on your heart’s desire, that will bring forth life! What is a life worth living for? What do you want to experience in your life? You can hang in the shadows of death or you can get on with living – it is your choice.

New Opportunities | Clean Slate

Each day we are given a new opportunity, or basically a clean slate. Start each day with intentions for the day, which is basically a list of aspirations or desires you would like to pursue. “If we fail to plan, we plan to fail”.

I went through a seminar years ago where you formed a duo with another participant and they would ask you over and over again – “WHAT DO YOU WANT!” After five minutes the ideas started to flow. “What do you want?” “What do you want?” “What do you want?”

Coping Methods

Coming out of the shadows and risking death is now our reality. Living for months under this condition has put many over the brink. We have seen the sharp increase in substance-related deaths and domestic violence and if this isn’t addressed properly the rates will only increase. Without the proper tools or professional help, people will continue to use these coping methods.

Since we are social beings it is important to communicate your problems and worries to someone that can be a good sounding board as a means to decompress. Holding these feelings in makes matters worse.

“No man is an island” – John Donne

We do not exist in a vacuum. It is important to interact with others. At Basic Steps Mental Health, we offer virtual sessions that are of help but lack the intimacy that people crave. Feeling alone without any support is the common feeling of those suffering from mental illness. A brief sidetrack is in order here. The term emotional illness is more realistic since it is our feelings that are of concern such as anxiety, anger, overwhelm, and sadness. However, with intimacy – the feeling of connecting with others we feel whole.

Moving Out From The Shadows

As we return to work, in a more intimate environment, moving out from the shadows, it can feel overwhelming. Getting buried in paperwork may distract you, but still, the fears of possible death by human contact might still be there. What if people don’t mask up? What if there is coughing and sneezing going on and you are forced to be there? These are real concerns and it is important to find physical ways to remain safe to minimize exposure. Take outside breaks often. Make sure there is proper airflow. Use a filter mask. I personally like to light candles to make me feel I am burning any impurities in the air. – I know, it probably sounds silly, but it works for me.

The following are some basic tools to use in order for you to transition from isolation to socialization with a Spiritual Psychology twist.  Spirituality refers to being heart-centered. Working in a state of loving awareness helps the brain secret Neuro Peptides to enhance your immune system, plus it makes you feel good. We cannot make ourselves fearful enough to make this virus go away. It is actually the opposite – love will do the trick much better.

Setting Your Intentions

Before you enter your workplace, take in a deep breath, exhale, and center yourself in your loving heart. Next set positive intentions of what you want to get out of your day. Follow this format – “My intention is …..” For example, “My intention is to be healthy.” “My intention is to be productive.” “My intention is to enjoy myself.”

When we focus on what we want, we create it. When we focus on what we don’t want we create that too. Avoid setting negative intentions – “My intention is not to get sick”. In this example, our subconscious mind doesn’t hear the “not” and will focus on sick. How often have you focused on “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” This will attract it to you. Future negative fantasies are basically thinking about the worst case, our imagination takes over, and then our emotions kick in believing it is taking place now! We can create panic attacks with this type of thinking. If you are going to think about the future, why not visualize health, wellbeing, and joy?

Once at the workplace, know you are safe. Affirmations work great in this environment. What are the three qualities you want to experience more in your life? You may want to think about what you don’t want – if you have trained yourself to think this way – and flip it around 180 degrees. For example. not wanting fear – the opposite would be courage. For sickness, it would be health. For overwhelm, it would be stable. Next, put an “I am” in front of it. The affirmation would then be: “I am a courageous, healthy, and stable person.” Personal affirmations need to be repeated 100 times a day and you can think them to yourself or speak them out loud. They keep the mind free of negativity and despair. If you find yourself worried as you face a coworker, repeat it inwardly. Before social interactions, you can also set positive intentions as well. “My intention is to be safe.” “My intention is to be in my loving heart.” “My intention is to appreciate this person.”

See Things With New Eyes

Years ago I watch a film series on J. Krishnamurti who was a spiritual guru. He had a concept “See things with new eyes”. He asked people to give a clean slate to people you know and see them as they are now instead of who they were. An enemy can become a great friend and a great friend can stab you in the back. But in seeing people as they are currently it will help you see the truth. I add on this, see yourself as you are now. Not tainted by your screw-ups in your past. When we keep holding on to our misdeeds of the past, we are cementing in that self-concept. Have you learned from your past failures? Have you repeated them? Life is trial and error. We learn from our mistakes and obtain a new awareness. Errors can be viewed as stepping stones to your current awareness. In giving yourself a clean slate and seeing yourself as you are in this moment, it will help you see your own truth.

Obviously, we haven’t even scratched the surface on this topic, but at least you have some tools to use to get you through the initial shock of your return to work. If you haven’t realized it, this is a period in time, throughout the world, in which we need to pull from within to find our own inner strength and focus on the fundamentals of wellness. Can you be mindful and live life from a heart-centered place, or will you live life fear centered? Fear brings death, love brings life. Here is the clue: Love has brought us life. This force will continue to do so.

More to follow on this topic.

Compassionate Care is Always Available

There are many more tools and strategies you can use in your pursuit of happiness. Here is where we come in. Contact us at Basic Steps Mental Health and let us support and educate you on this journey back to your loving heart center. Imagine living a heart-centered life, regardless of what is happening externally. We’d love to be of help.

For 25 years, Dr. Scott Alpert, the clinical director of Basic Steps Mental Health, has treated over 7,000 people with mental health and addiction problems, using a Psychological approach that mixes and matches ten of the top approaches used in the industry.  We are here virtually and in-person to help you get through this COVID-19 pandemic and many other difficulties you may be experiencing.

May you have good mental health.