Work Ethics

Is there someone in your life whose very presence makes you feel weighted down from holding your tongue? You don't like the way he talks or someone who acts as Mr. Know-It-All? He always has something negative to say. You can't stand being around him, yet something keeps you there. What can you do?

Perhaps this adage applies - people are our mirrors. We see in them what we put in front of them.

One day, I realized that there was too much criticism in my workplace and that, more importantly, I played a large role in it. In the midst of meditation I asked to be relieved of this burden. I found myself asking what the alternatives were so I took out my Merriam-Webster thesaurus and began searching for the antonym and contrasted words of "criticize."

At first, I felt excited about words like praise, approve, and endorse. I started searching for synonyms of synonyms and making a list. As the list grew, I started feeling insecure and unsure of what I wanted to do with it. These were all action verbs. Could I actually praise him to his face? Could I approve of his voice? Could I endorse him as knowledgeable?

I realized that I very seldom felt like performing the actions on that list. The problem was that the list of words was so powerfully positive that I didn't have enough energy to act upon them. This energy that I'm talking about is Life Force energy, Chi, Ra, Kundalini. Criticism had become such an integral part of my life - thoughts, self-expression and perspective - that I unwittingly had blotted out the very energy that I needed to be truly joyful.

It's sad, I know. The good news is that I made a decision. I would gently, without criticism or time limits, apply those actions to myself before I tried them out on others. When I made this decision, the burden lifted off of me. I had given myself time to improve myself. (Hey, "improve" is one of the action words!) So far, the results have been encouraging. I find less of a need to criticize myself, and, therefore, others; although, from time to time, I must rush back to my list as a reminder of what I could be doing instead of criticizing.

Here is my list:

Accept
Activate
Animate
Applaud
Approve
Assure
Buck up
Cheer
Compliment
Cultivate
Develop
Edify
Embolden
Encourage
Endorse
Energize
Enhance
Enhearten
Enlighten
Enrich
Excite
Fortify
Help
Illuminate
Improve
Inspirit
Invigorate
Motivate
Perk up
Praise
Quicken
Rally
Renew
Revive
Stimulate
Stir
Strengthen
Uplift

Try them! :)