ndividual tasks and rather look at the big picture. Sure, she probably had every right to hate her job – she didn’t spend thousands of dollars on graduate schools to file papers and write form letters - but she knew it was temporary and she was able to do her job without identifying exclusively with it.

My client said to me, “Why can’t I be like that?” I told her it was very simple. She could be exactly like that – she jus

Sometimes we fail to see the opportunities right in front of our eyes. We have the ability to choose whether we define our work or we let it define us. What are you choosing?

Step 2– Identify some specific moments during the past several weeks where you felt like you were able to express your true self at work. What were you doing? With whom were you working? How did you feel physically?

When we are over worked and over stressed, it is easy to focus most of our attention on what is not working. We forget the little victories during the day and the times when we are free to be our authentic selves are overshadowed by the times we feel completely incongruent.

I worked with a client one time who worked with a woman who was desperately over qualified for the work she was doing. My client said that this woman had 2 graduate degrees, was very sharp, and it was clear she was suited for much greener pastures. But, somehow she seemed ok working a job at the lowest point on the totem pole. My client said that not only did this woman seem okay with the work, but no matter what the task, she did it with a smile. My client was so frustrated with her own situation and was having such a hard time coping that she could not understand how this woman could stay so positive.

So, she finally asked her. The woman admitted that she wasn’t thrilled with her current position but she saw it as a means to an end – even though she wasn’t sure what the “end” was yet. She said she figured she had to do those tasks whether she liked them or not right now so she might as well be happy doing them and do them better than everyone else.

This woman recognized that she had to stop attaching value to the individual tasks and rather look at the big picture. Sure, she probably had every right to hate her job – she didn’t spend thousands of dollars on graduate schools to file papers and write form letters - but she knew it was temporary and she was able to do her job without identifying exclusively with it.

My client said to me, “Why can’t I be like that?” I told her it was very simple. She could be exactly like that – she just

and over stressed, it is easy to focus most of our attention on what is not working. We forget the little victories during the day and the times when we are free to be our authentic selves are overshadowed by the times we feel completely incongruent.

I worked with a client one time who worked with a woman who was desperately over qualified for the work she was doing. My client said that this woman had 2 graduate degrees, was very sharp, and it was clear she was suited for much greener pastures. But, somehow she seemed ok working a job at the lowest point on the totem pole. My client said that not only did this woman seem okay with the work, but no matter what the task, she did it with a smile. My client was so frustrated with her own situation and was having such a hard time coping that she could not understand how this woman could stay so positive.

So, she finally asked her. The woman admitted that she wasn’t thrilled with her current position but she saw it as a means to an end – even though she wasn’t sure what the “end” was yet. She said she figured she had to do those tasks whether she liked them or not right now so she might as well be happy doing them and do them better than everyone else.

This woman recognized that she had to stop attaching value to the individual tasks and rather look at the big picture. Sure, she probably had every right to hate her job – she didn’t spend thousands of dollars on graduate schools to file papers and write form letters - but she knew it was temporary and she was able to do her job without identifying exclusively with it.

My client said to me, “Why can’t I be like that?” I told her it was very simple. She could be exactly like that – she jus

s very sharp, and it was clear she was suited for much greener pastures. But, somehow she seemed ok working a job at the lowest point on the totem pole. My client said that not only did this woman seem okay with the work, but no matter what the task, she did it with a smile. My client was so frustrated with her own situation and was having such a hard time coping that she could not understand how this woman could stay so positive.

So, she finally asked her. The woman admitted that she wasn’t thrilled with her current position but she saw it as a means to an end – even though she wasn’t sure what the “end” was yet. She said she figured she had to do those tasks whether she liked them or not right now so she might as well be happy doing them and do them better than everyone else.

This woman recognized that she had to stop attaching value to the individual tasks and rather look at the big picture. Sure, she probably had every right to hate her job – she didn’t spend thousands of dollars on graduate schools to file papers and write form letters - but she knew it was temporary and she was able to do her job without identifying exclusively with it.

My client said to me, “Why can’t I be like that?” I told her it was very simple. She could be exactly like that – she jus

So, she finally asked her. The woman admitted that she wasn’t thrilled with her current position but she saw it as a means to an end – even though she wasn’t sure what the “end” was yet. She said she figured she had to do those tasks whether she liked them or not right now so she might as well be happy doing them and do them better than everyone else.

This woman recognized that she had to stop attaching value to the individual tasks and rather look at the big picture. Sure, she probably had every right to hate her job – she didn’t spend thousands of dollars on graduate schools to file papers and write form letters - but she knew it was temporary and she was able to do her job without identifying exclusively with it.

My client said to me, “Why can’t I be like that?” I told her it was very simple. She could be exactly like that – she jus

ndividual tasks and rather look at the big picture. Sure, she probably had every right to hate her job – she didn’t spend thousands of dollars on graduate schools to file papers and write form letters - but she knew it was temporary and she was able to do her job without identifying exclusively with it.

My client said to me, “Why can’t I be like that?” I told her it was very simple. She could be exactly like that – she just had to make the decision.

So, even if you can only recall brief moments where you were able to express your true self at work, identify them and write them down. Be specific about exactly what is it that you were doing. This is important if you decide in the future to explore a different path. There are so many ways we can express our true selves and very often people make the mistake of thinking they have to be participating in some noble effort in order to do this when actually you could be doing it when you are doing something as simple as sorting files. It is not so much the task but rather how you approach it and your attitude toward your work. We bring who we are to each task and it shows up whether we want it to or not. How are you going to show up today? How can you change your situation by your attitude? How can you express your authentic self today, in all that you do?