In the Zone

Welcome back everyone, and a happy new year! I realize I’m a little late in acknowledging it, but today I find my thoughts turning to the subject of work—and in particular, working well. No doubt, many of you are attempting new year’s resolutions, and some of you are probably already struggling. Changing your life even in small ways is seldom easy. So let’s all take a few moments to examine how we approach our work, and see if we can find a better way to get in the zone.

 Personally, I think of sports whenever I hear that expression, but it can apply to any sort of endeavor. Hopefully, you’ve all felt this for yourselves, when focus becomes easy and you feel at home and in synch with your task, whatever that might be. I’m sure you’ve also noted that it can be devilishly tricky to get into, and especially to keep over long periods of time.

In many ways, I think this is no different than many other forms of mental wellbeing, though you may not be used to thinking of it in those terms. Like any other form of mental wellbeing, it requires maintenance, and benefits greatly from self-awareness.

First, I believe it is imperative that what you are doing be in love, and within the will of God. I realize that some of you may not share my beliefs about the latter, but I think that if you are honest with yourself about the former, then you should find yourself going in the right direction. And as is always the case with matters of the heart, good intentions and sincere effort will cover a lot of smaller mistakes. So take a few moments to think of the work you’ve laid out for yourself, and ask yourself whether it is rooted in love, whether you feel you can serve others and express love by doing it. For most of you, I think the answer will be “yes.” There’s usually a way.

Now, most of you have heard me talk often enough about the trap of expectations, about how easy it is for your imagination to give you a false sense of what the future should look like, which leaves you frustrated and inflexible when it proves to be wrong. So the next step is to bring up your image of an ideal, “in the zone” workday, and then subject it to conscious scrutiny. Ask yourself whether that image is compatible with reality and love. Ask yourself what about it could change to be more in line with those things.

Of course, I would highly advise using Trilogy or the Healing Codes during this step. Even if you are consciously aware of them, many of these expectations and wrong beliefs can be very stubborn about hanging around the unconscious mind, and I know of no better tools for dealing with them. As always, we have free resources available for this on our website, so you’ve got nothing to lose!

Eventually, I’ll think you find that you no longer feel those negative thoughts and feelings weighing you down. You’ll bring your image of what good work means more and more in line with reality, and with living in love in the present moment. Once that happens, I think you’ll find it easier and easier to be happy and productive in your work.

Have a blessed, wonderful day!

Dr. Alex Loyd