Well, it’s been quite a while since I last wrote a post, I’ll use the exceptionally hot Madrid summer and traditional August “wind down” as an excuse!
For many, especially those in language training, September is the start of a new year and I think this September is going to reveal more than ever before – are we really seeing signs of economic recovery? And if we do see it this year, will it usher in more sincere ways of working and doing business? Thinking about what we’re going through econmically reminds me of a kid falling down incurring lots of cuts and bruises, he has to wait a while before he sees new, fresh skin form. We have to suffer pain before we can get better.
I’m rivetted by the book I’m currently reading, “The Tenth Insight, Holding the Vision – An Experiential Guide” by James Redfield and Carol Adrienne. A chapter entitled “Transformation in Work and Business” struck a particular chord with me and examines how an individual’s attention to their own spirituality and life purpose, especially if they’re a business owner can really start to shift paradigms around business models.
In the States in particular there is a definite trend toward spirit in business. One Californian entrepreneur is quoted in the book as saying, “I think metaphysical and spiritual ideas without doubt are changing the way we work and the way we think about our livelihood. But this is a new language for a lot of business people.” “When business is approached from a spiritual viewpoint, people begin to consider the long-range implications of their choices. They start with the commitment to do what matters to them, to stay in alignment with integrity and to try-as best as possible-to serve others as they would like to be served.”
This entrepreneur explains to us how he now operates in business, he says “When I check my inner alignment with my values, then I decide which client to work with, which product to develop, which course of action to take. That’s exactly opposite to the traditional business procedure of checking the market and the competition and trying to devise a strategy to find a weakness and exploit it”.
Interesting stuff. In these times of change I ask myself- how long can we go on as a cold, capitalistic society tolerating working situations and bosses that make us feel miserable, just to earn a living? The irony is that right now, for many people it DOESN’T allow them to earn a living because they’ve just been made redundan!
Now the time has arrived when people are starting to wake up and ask the questions that matter, like “Why am I here? What is my purpose in life? This is one of the reasons that people are now talking about coaching in the Western world. Coaching is set to explode as people become more aware because it is based around the fundmental question, “What do I really want in life that is aligned with my values?” and “What do I have to do to get what I want?” Coaching really is the layman’s spirituality and will open the door to a new age in life and business.
When I think about it, although on the outside it appears that I’ve had a quiet summer, on the inside a lot has been happening. My thirst for spiritual knowlege and growth is becoming stronger by the day, yet I know that my feet are firmly on the ground when it comes to work, business and supporting my family as a single mother.
My regular readers will have seen my journey through this blog, as I’ve covered subjects of running a language school, personal development, coaching, sharing my hopes and fears regarding a major career change and lately to spirituality. You know, I think I’ve discovered my vision and it feels wonderful – to combine business and spirituality. It really is possible to be a modern, practical, ambitious business woman who is at the same time spiritual and I hope that these blog posts inspire others on a similar journey to work “from the heart” and to influence the creation of more humanistic business models.
