Forward to reality

Today is the first day back at work for 2009. I mean, really back to work – not the sort of mindless appearance at office on January 2, but really back to work. For many, the day has been greeted with a groan of “back to reality”. For we believe that we are going back to the workplace as we left it. All the problems, challenges, traffic to get there, miserable co-workers, demanding customers, incompetent bosses – all will be back the same way they were in December. After all the festivities, celebration and joy of the season, are we really going to go back to the same old situation? Perhaps …. perhaps not.

Many of us have set New Year resolutions over the past few days – intentions to make our lives significantly different, to improve specific aspects of our being. And this year, we resolve, is the year when we WILL stick to our resolutions. We are high on the energy of envisioning different lives for ourselves, new and better, happier, more prosperous. So, in the mix of “back to reality” there is something that has changed – we have!

Today as work is a test. Today is the day when we signal whether we are really serious about keeping our resolutions, about creating a different “me”. We are bringing the energy of new intentions, new focus in our lives with us wherever we go – even to the workplace. Groans of back to reality actually negate this energy, already dissipating our resolve only five days into the new year. The “new me” of our resolve will go with us wherever we go, and will have an impact in all spheres of our lives – including work!

For example, our intention about losing weight or getting fit is not just about the end result of looking and feeling better, it is really about bringing new levels of discipline into our lives. If we are serious about our intention, we will find that this new discipline will transcend into our reality at work. So committing to getting fit means that we will commit to specific times for exercise classes or workouts. We must adhere to it. To do so will require us to be disciplined at work as well – to get there on time, to accomplish whatever we need to do efficiently and effectively so that we may leave in good time for our workout. After awhile, we will find that this new level of discipline has become a habit – in our exercise program, at work, at home – wherever we are, it is us.

There is no “back to reality” at work today. There is only “forward to the reality” that you have decided to create. Everything and everyone around you at work will be different today. Why? Because you are different. You have defined a different way of being for yourself. You are looking at the world, including your workplace, with new and different eyes. And when you make a shift, the whole world shifts. You are a new you! Why? Because you declare it so – and act in accordance with it wherever you are.