Labor With Love Day
If you’re in the US, Happy Labor Day.
I’m writing this from Italy. It’s one of my last days here until I head back to the States on Wednesday. I’ve been here for a month, mainly in the Northern area, in a picturesque mountain town called Pinzolo.
My family is from here. My aunt lives here, and everyone I pass on the street is apparently a relative. It’s a meaningful place and will be the sight of my wedding next summer. :)
I tell you this because most people think I’m here on vacation, which is half true. While it’s considered a vacation, I’m also working—so what is it? I tend to say workation, but as the years go by, it’s harder to bifurcate work & life.
I’m living my life, dare I say—dreams.
And work is essential to living.
We need something that gives us a sense of purpose.
Yet the term “work” has been tainted. Its mere mention elicits ugghs, complaints, and a general sense that that’s not where we want to be.
I was once on a trip to Denver, doing the work I mentioned in my recent podcast episode. The woman at the car rental counter asked if I was in town for work or leisure. I said work. She said, “I’m sorry.”
I said, don’t be! I’m happy to be here.
While I get her sentiment, it highlights our wounds around work.
(And to be fair, if I were a rental car clerk dealing with impatient, jetlagged people all day, I may feel the same.)
But Why does she feel this way?
When Labor Day is meant to celebrate work, why will she and others dread clocking in tomorrow?
It’s because many people are doing jobs without Soul.
Not that they're Soul-sucking, necessarily.
It's that they don’t have the opportunity to put a piece of themselves into their work.
They are not present, engaged, or making a contribution.
They are doing it out of necessity—a worthy necessity.
I’m not knocking doing what we need to do to ensure our needs are met.
But we should take a step back and question what we learned about work in the first place.
We all have a purpose and capacity to sow the seeds of potential, so our unique fruit can blossom.
But as Stephen Covey says, “We can’t reap the right fruits without the right roots.”
The roots of Western society are money and status-focused.
We pick careers based on earning potential or how it sounds to say at a cocktail party—as if that will make us happy.
We're not taught about the fulfillment that comes from playing our part in the cosmos.
We don’t initiate our youth so that they find their Soul gifts and add them to the collective.
We dissuade artistic endeavors in the argument of not making money.
While I don't believe everyone needs to make money from their calling—I do believe the Universe supports us if we're aligned with the seed of purpose unfolding within.
Cultivating our inner seed is how we Labor with Love.
Khalil Gibran said it best—“Work is Love Made Visible.”
Some, like myself, have found it in the work that pays the bills. Others find it in playing an instrument or training for a marathon.
Anything can be work-done-with-love. A bank teller can fulfill their Dharma as much as the Sage.
Whatever the job title is, our work should share a part of our essence—It should be imbued with a piece of our Soul.
We should work with Meraki.
Meraki (meh-RAH-kee) is a Greek word that refers to doing something with passion, soul, creativity, or love.
It’s the essence of putting “something of yourself” into what you’re doing.
Meraki is where great work and contribution come from, whether you're a janitor or a scientist.
It’s never the “what.”
It’s always the “how.”
How you show up.
How you do things.
How you contribute.
By seeing our gifts manifested, others are inspired as you reflect back to them their Soul, and inner purpose.
In the spirit of promoting a culture where more people celebrate their work and Labor with Love, I’m starting a Mastermind Group, which I’m calling….you guessed it…Meraki
The Meraki Mastermind is for soul-driven meditation teachers, coaches, creators, and spiritual guides who want to make their love visible through their work.
Many have already expressed interest. I’m getting SO EXCITED hearing from you.
If you haven’t expressed your interest, now is the time—shoot me an email.
The first-time doors open for the mastermind will be at an introductory and heavily discounted rate.
I will also be limiting the amount of enrollment.
If doing work you love with love and surrounding yourself with others who share your values excites you, send me an email.