Marie Taylor Online

Who are you exactly ?

I am continuing this theme of work and its meaning.How it identifies us and defines us (or not).

So, who are you if you aren't your title, your salary cheque or your possessions?

When someone asks you about yourself do you immediately respond with your job title and company? Many people do, we can't help it- we have been conditioned to identify ourselves by what we do rather than who we are. So if you have time today why not spend 5-10 minutes just pondering the questions- Who am I? What roles do I play? What do I contribute? What will I be remembered for beyond my loyalty to work?

Let this give you food for thought.

I have a good friend who is unwell at the moment . She has a weak heart and a range of other conditions- she called me this week to say how guilty she felt about not returning to work for the second week. She has had sleepless nights worrying about what people will think because she is off work and meetings have to be cancelled,there's a contingent flying in from Spain and someone else will have to entertain them.There's a speaking engagement at a conference and a substitute will need to be sent, interviews for a senior member of staff... and it went on..and on..and on. Now, I am a very patient person and for the most part highly tolerant. I know she is struggling and that she is a high achiever with the ability the juggle and deliver more than most- And that is the problem.....

Taking time to play- raising future players

I took a day off to play with my little niece this week. Not the behaviour you would expect of me had you known me 7 years ago before I left corporate life ( I rarely left work before 7.30 or took a whole weekend).I still work long hours but often it doesn't feel like work because I truly love my business. This day was one of 2 significant things that have happened this week to make me think about play and the impact it has on shaping us and who we become. My day with Scarlet ( aged 4 and nearly a half) made me giggle a lot at her ability to get completely lost in the joy of reality versus fantasy and occasionally pull herself up short to check reality.

One of  her favourite games is playing hotels and tea shops where I am "the servant" who takes the order and delivers the required to m' lady and she is the customer. She takes great delight in setting the table perfectly -the positioning of the side plate and napkin being particularly important.Then when she is ready, I take the order  in my little notebook with a short pencil. The order was "porridge with honey and blueberries with a glass of Champagne" - She's been trained by her mother and the women of the family to always have high expectations.

Bringing meaning and asking for what you want

Well I've enjoyed some interesting encounters recently.

Last Saturday I was with 8000 others seeing the Dalai Lama in Nottingham - fabulous experience. He is witty, savvy and serious about world peace and our contribution to achieving it. He has a fantastic presence that moves people to tears. I am not sure what it is about him that makes people spontaneously cry - I recall having that reaction when I went to a Nelson Mandela concert a few months after his release. As soon as he walked on stage I started blubbing and didn't stop for an hour. Is it their humility, their grace, their ability to send love out to people who have hurt them/their own people?  Is it their struggle for justice? What?..

Anyway, the Dalai Lama was talking about "Bringing meaning to our lives" and his talk ranged from making simple declarations of love and peace to one another, through to describing quantum thinking and the need to consider the world beyond ourselves. His range in one day went from a very light conversation to examining some deep concepts about the power of the collective unconscious and collective consciousness.