Why "Same Old - Same Old" at Work Doesn't Work
Do you know the expression "same old-same old"? That's the response you sometimes get, like when you pass by a colleague at work and ask them, "How's it going?" I never liked it. Here's why.
At work, you can slip into a "same old-same old" mode. Days come and go. You're not really engaging with your work. It's boring. It's not "fulfilling." Lots of people work this way.
If you're in the "same old-same old" mode, try to do something about it right away. If it means getting a new job, then go for it.
On the other hand, it may not be so much that your job is boring, but rather that you've let yourself get boring. If you have, open your heart and mind and let the drama begin. What drama? The drama of living the Catholic life.
Why drama? I think it starts right off the bat, first thing in the morning, with the natural and the supernatural.
When you start the day with the Morning Offering, you're immediately elevating your thoughts, words and actions from the natural plane to a "higher" plane - the supernatural plane. You reach out with your mind and heart to God - right away. And isn't it thrilling to know that God hears you do that?
Throughout the work day, the tendency is for our thoughts, words and actions to settle down to the natural level. It's only, well, natural. But we Catholics won't settle for the mundane throughout the work day, right? We won't allow ourselves to be wrapped up just in ourselves. We work for the greater glory of God, don't we? So we say quick, short aspirations throughout our day: "I love you Jesus...All for you Jesus" and we touch the supernatural in the midst of our natural work day. We restore that intention of working for the greater glory of God, not just working for ourselves, or even for our families.
On good days, you might even remember that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit - God dwelling in us. Incredible but true!
Dramatic enough for you?
And maybe, every once in a while, you meditate on something like this before you begin your mundane work day. It's from St Benedict's Holy Rule. He gives us some rules for how to live each day:
Instead of agonizing over what you're going to have for lunch, or how you're not being paid enough, or what you're going to wear, look these simple suggestions over. You can do one or more of these today, maybe even RIGHT NOW.
There, you've just raised yourself up to the supernatural plane. You're using your body and mind as the temple of the Holy Spirit that they really are. You're living and working as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, which you really are. And your Father in Heaven will see all this and smile at you in His loving, fatherly way - which He really does.
You know all this, because you're Catholic, right?
So forget "same old-same old." Live and work the Catholic way. See the world as God created it - natural and supernatural. Let the drama begin!
At work, you can slip into a "same old-same old" mode. Days come and go. You're not really engaging with your work. It's boring. It's not "fulfilling." Lots of people work this way.
If you're in the "same old-same old" mode, try to do something about it right away. If it means getting a new job, then go for it.
On the other hand, it may not be so much that your job is boring, but rather that you've let yourself get boring. If you have, open your heart and mind and let the drama begin. What drama? The drama of living the Catholic life.
Why drama? I think it starts right off the bat, first thing in the morning, with the natural and the supernatural.
When you start the day with the Morning Offering, you're immediately elevating your thoughts, words and actions from the natural plane to a "higher" plane - the supernatural plane. You reach out with your mind and heart to God - right away. And isn't it thrilling to know that God hears you do that?
Throughout the work day, the tendency is for our thoughts, words and actions to settle down to the natural level. It's only, well, natural. But we Catholics won't settle for the mundane throughout the work day, right? We won't allow ourselves to be wrapped up just in ourselves. We work for the greater glory of God, don't we? So we say quick, short aspirations throughout our day: "I love you Jesus...All for you Jesus" and we touch the supernatural in the midst of our natural work day. We restore that intention of working for the greater glory of God, not just working for ourselves, or even for our families.
On good days, you might even remember that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit - God dwelling in us. Incredible but true!
Dramatic enough for you?
And maybe, every once in a while, you meditate on something like this before you begin your mundane work day. It's from St Benedict's Holy Rule. He gives us some rules for how to live each day:
- Not to seek after pleasures
- Love fasting
- Relieve the poor
- Clothe the naked
- Visit the sick
- Bury the dead
- Help those in trouble
- Console the sorrowing
- Hold oneself aloof from worldly ways
- Prefer nothing to the love of Christ
Instead of agonizing over what you're going to have for lunch, or how you're not being paid enough, or what you're going to wear, look these simple suggestions over. You can do one or more of these today, maybe even RIGHT NOW.
There, you've just raised yourself up to the supernatural plane. You're using your body and mind as the temple of the Holy Spirit that they really are. You're living and working as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, which you really are. And your Father in Heaven will see all this and smile at you in His loving, fatherly way - which He really does.
You know all this, because you're Catholic, right?
So forget "same old-same old." Live and work the Catholic way. See the world as God created it - natural and supernatural. Let the drama begin!
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