I work with a truly amazing bunch of people. Over the years we have been there for one another through many rough moments. Always compassionate and always willing to lend each other a hand, we cheer one another on and we give a reassuring hug when needed. We have also been there to celebrate many happy times with birthdays, engagements, weddings, and births. I feel very blessed to be part of this family, with whom I have shared a huge part of life. I am grateful for the daily enjoyment and happiness I experience as part of the team.
Just the other day I took a call from someone that had been speaking with a colleague of mine a moment before. I was asked, “What is going on there?’ I was a bit caught out by the question, not knowing where the caller was headed. “What do you mean?” I asked. “Well everyone is so damned happy and helpful!” was the response. “What is going on?” Instantly I replied without any thought needed. I said it was as simple as this, we all love our jobs and we all love each other. Never was a truer word spoken, but this truth was far from believable for the caller. I was told that I must be smoking something and with that the call ended. I was somewhat disheartened that this truth seemed so unbelievable and so unrealistic.
When I shared the details of the conversation with a few colleagues later that day, they all agreed that we do work as an incredibly cohesive group. More to the point, it is easy to convey happiness and helpfulness to others when surrounded by people who all wish to work in a peaceful and harmonious manner. It is lovely to see the positive effects that a group with the same mindset can have. It is joyful to experience an environment where people actually care for each other. The positive energy clearly transfers to everyone inside and outside of the business. As we discussed this, in my mind I saw a vision of an Egyptian tomb, with light bouncing from one mirror to another, casting ambient light and repelling the pitch darkness. This I thought, was much like the positive energy that bounces from one individual to another until an entire group becomes radiant.
It is easy to be caught up in the positive energy a group of inspired, fun, and supportive people emit. Likewise, it is easy to be caught up in negative energy, where gossip, cruelness, and jealousy reign. Group dynamics are nothing new of course, but even armed with widely available information relating to the desire to conform, just for inclusion sake, even when actions and words of the group go against our own moral compass, such dynamics still exist. When we feel our light is being dimmed, if our energy is being drained by a group or an individual, we must make a choice. Do we detach from it to shine bright on our own, or do we bend to the pressure to conform and fit in with lower energies, lest we become the focus of unwanted attention?
Conformity is the work of the ego and as always, when looking externally to define who we are internally, we will always lose on a soul level. Let's not forget we are the creators of our own reality. We have the choice to say no to gossip, cruelty and all trappings of the ego. We have the choice to follow our own moral compass and be a light that shines either alone, or within a group. Shine bright and before long, others will want to shine just like you. You can create and sustain a happy life when living from a place of love. You can have a dynamic effect on those you work with and create a happy and joyful environment. Others may not wish to believe you can, but does it matter what others think anyway? Shine your light and see the darkness fade before your eyes. Let the love flow into all areas of your life and don't let it stop.