I often have a sense of dread on Mondays. The week ahead looms large. Sometimes before my feet even hit the floor thoughts of work invade my mind. I wonder what the week will bring. Will there be any surprises? I must be honest. Surprises at work rarely make me happy. I suppose my dread is a fear of the unknown. Trying to regain control of my mind I remind myself to follow the counsel I often give to others. Fear, the root cause of dread, is in the head. Our own minds are our worst enemy. Most of what goes on in our heads never happens. This goes for our fears and, unfortunately, for many of our day dreams, too. I temporarily overcome these minor panic attacks by focusing on getting myself ready to leave the house. When I am finally seated in my chair with morning coffee and toast, I begin to formally quiet my mind. I start by focusing on my breathing. I often read a passage from something inspirational. I become quiet and eventually calm. When I am in a place I would love to stay for hours, the Zen gong on my smart phone alerts me that it is time to leave home and face the world outside my door. I know I am not alone in my sense of dread when it comes to work. Too often work seems little more than the price we pay for the rest of our lives. Much of the dread and the negativity about work is an illusion. The reality is that most of the time work is not that bad. Many days I actually enjoy myself and my co-workers. There is rarely a day I don’t laugh or have a deeply meaningful conversation with someone. Certainly there are elements of work that seem meaningless and a waste of time. I suppose that cannot be avoided since the value of these elements are in the eye of the beholder. My final thought before I left home this morning was that God would bless this day and the week ahead and fill them with grace. May we all have a good, meaningful, and enjoyable week. May we all do good and meaningful work. May we all be blessed.
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