Humility
hu·mil·i·ty (h)yo͞oˈmilədē/ noun a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.
I begin this blog in a moment of humility- on a day which began with confidence and a sense of self importance, yet ended with a renewed devotion for servitude.
Several years ago, I began working for a company that helps others, a servant company if you will. I strongly believe in the direction and importance of our work and have enjoyed watching the company rapidly develop and expand. I have been fortunate to work closely with the leaders of the company and learn from them daily. I don’t consider them ‘bosses’, but exceptional mentors and strong leaders. They have been fearless, overcoming every challenge and striving to make professional and personal improvements with each new day.
I have always considered myself a free spirit. I love to travel and be spontaneous; I’m a functional definition of “work hard, play hard”, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I never expected to be in a Monday through Friday, eight to five job. I should have backpacked through Europe by now, I should have hiked the Appalachian Trail. I thought I would create something meaningful and be independently wealthy, but here I am, under a mountain of student debt and sitting in a corporate office to make ends meet. Sometimes life has other plans and opens doors of opportunity that you never even considered. There is a reason you are in your current situation, at this time and place. I had to stop questioning the universe and adapt to a mindful thought process in order to lay a foundation to create a better universe. This is my journey, but its not about me, its about the difference I can make along the way.
I was only with my company for a short time, when we transitioned ownership, from private to corporate. This transaction was exciting, a giant leap in the right direction. Due diligence was grueling, and the process took months. During the transition, we lost some key employees and ones who remained absorbed extra responsibilities. Everyone was busy. We were always overcommitted, anxious and overwhelmed. We thought the pace or our work would eventually decrease, but this has not been the case. With the chaos growing every day, morale was low, time management was poor and attitudes suffered. My demeanor began to suffer in my personal life as well. I was always checking emails off the clock, stressed about the work load for the rest of the week, feeling rushed by deadlines. Recently turning 27, I felt young and driven, obligated to have an insane amount of dedication, but why to a stressful extent? I began to live for work, completely absorbed. I began to lose myself along the way. I was unhappy more often than not, but my devotion to the leaders and the company was stronger than ever. We had projects and process improvements; I felt like they needed me to function. Turns out, I needed them.
The President of our company, who regularly met with a Leadership Coach, decided to begin executive leadership sessions, in hopes that we would all benefit from life and work flow reflection. Though not an executive, I was given a copy of the book ‘Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative’ by Scott Eblin, and was invited to participate in the mastermind sessions. I was thankful for the opportunity, but wondered how bizarre it was that we were all spread so thin and unorganized that we needed a leadership coach. Is this real life? Before our sessions began, I was talking to one of my friends about my work situation and how stressed was the new norm. She questioned why I was even still there, as this corporate career was never expected of me. I’m the one that should have an exciting job, one everyone envies. She reminded me that I was young, single, childless, and had obtained a solid education. Why couldn’t I find a more fulfilling job? I asked myself that, suddenly feeling shortchanged and angry for ‘settling’ in this position. I told her that however stressful and demanding it may be, at least I worked for great leaders, who were giving me the opportunity to learn and grow in our new environment. They never became irritated with my questions and persistence to know why or how, but genuinely provided in depth answers to satisfy my curiosity. I then told my friend about the mastermind leadership group I was about to start, and how we had become so stressed that we needed to read a self help book and be counseled. She was in awe, and in a moment of reflection on my personality, she told me that it didn’t sound like me, and I quote, “That is exactly the type of corporate bull shit that you DO NOT need in your life.”
She was wrong. The whole experience was exactly the type of corporate bull shit that I DID need in my life. We all needed it. I have been taught a servant leadership style firsthand. I have a humble leadership team who cares about their employees wish to build a positive organizational culture. They find time in busy schedules to be coached on how to become an exceptional in their roles. They realize their flaws and immediately seek to correct them- who doesn’t want to work for that kind of passion and dedication? The best interest of each employee and customer always comes first. Our company has ~1,000 employees, and they don’t work for the President, he works for them. I have learned a mindful way of life, one that has no room for selfishness, anger, or scarcity of time and presence. I feel a solid sense of belonging in my position, knowing that I have corporate leaders who continuously evaluate, engage and encourage. I feel not many people could say the same.
Today, we concluded our mastermind group coaching and I found the experience physically, mentally and emotionally refreshing. I have developed a special connection with Rhonda, founder of INTOUCH Coaching. She is an inspiring woman with a great outlook and attitude. Her guidance helped instill a mindfulness in our team, that helps us function with more respect and efficiency. I cannot thank her enough for the sidebar chats and emails that have helped me grow personally. So many years of work, school and hedonism had me caught in a cycle of self interest. What am I doing today? How do I feel? What do I want? It’s not about me, anymore. What can I do to make a difference today? How can I make others feel better? What can I do to help someone perform at their best?
This is my journey into mindfulness. It will be a process that I am looking forward to. One day at a time, baby steps. I will use this blog to record and share moments of mindfulness, in hopes that it may inspire others to discover the best version of themselves.