Workplace Spirituality:
Action - Reaction

Susan Kramer

Our own feelings are valid for us. We own them. And every other person owns and is entitled to their feelings, also.

If we get a reaction back that we do not expect, we need to slide over to another track of communication, or even forget about communicating with that person till another time.

It is codependent behavior to expect to derive our happiness from the reaction of another person to us. Whether at work, or with family or friends, we are each responsible for acting so that we maintain our peace of mind and contentment without regard to another's feelings or reactions.

Some ways to develop a home base of peace of mind and contentment:

1. Maintain or establish positive attitudes under all circumstances. This is so important, as how we view situations determines their outcome. Positive attitudes allow the positive ideas for a resolve to come to mind. Think back. All situations from the past had a resolve; therefore it follows that all current and future situations will have a resolve, also.

2. Daily, pray for guidance. The combination of supplication, meditation and reflection gives us all the answers we need for the application of the guidance received in our prayer time.

3. Treat everyone and everything in life as we would our own possessions and family members. This keeps us striving to establish harmony at work, home and with friends.

4. Our body is our home base. Treat it with care and consideration, remembering that all we ingest becomes an integral part of us. Attitudes and thoughts, too, as stress is felt in our body as well as our mind.

In summary, detaching from other's reactions to us, allows us to maintain our peace of mind and harmony, best able to resolve the steady stream of situations that come our way in life.

Giving others for space for their actions - reactions

At the workplace as well as in our relationships with family and friends, we all function best when we are given our space.

Space to put our possessions; space to move around in, that is fully under our own domain; space around our body that is free from unwanted intrusion; space to voice our opinions; space to make our own decisions if we are over 18.

Giving another space is giving respect. Even young children need all the above kinds of space in order to grow into their full blossoming. If a child is under 18 we are legally responsible for the outcome of their decisions, and for our adult children we can offer opinions, but it is the adult child's right and responsibility to make and live by their personal decisions.

My 5 children are over 18 years of age now. I listen to them but I no longer tell them what to do. If asked for my advice, I tell them what I might do in a similar circumstance, but that is where my input ends in their decision making process. I have found for myself that being responsible for making my own decisions gives me satisfaction and peace of mind. As adults, we are all kings and queens over the domain of our own lives.

In the workplace we have tasks assigned to us, and then we use our judgment and experience to get the job done as best we can. Space to work, think, plan, and then carry out our responsibilities is a necessary ingredient in doing our best for our employer or employee. And as parents, giving space to our children to think, plan, carry out lessons from school, and in their daily living, allows and promotes the growing-up process.

Workplace Spirituality:
Action - Reaction  © 2004 Susan Kramer
web site http://www.susankramer.com
email susan@susankramer.com
photo credit Stan Schaap; strawberry daisy, The Netherlands

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