5 Ways to Engage in Work and Life

A recent Gallup poll revealed a staggering 87% of employees worldwide are not engaged at work today. This is not surprising when you observe how often we are distracted and overwhelmed with information. Many of us have lost our presence, purpose and engagement in our work and our lives.

Spending 3 fabulous days with my yoga teacher, Desiree Rumbaugh, a wise, strong, and gifted teacher and dear friend, I experienced total engagement. The workshop taught us how to upgrade our operating systems, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I listened, practiced, partnered, and reflected the whole weekend. I was engaged.

Here are 5 ways to help you engage in your work, relationships, yoga practice or any other area of your life.

1. Clarity.  Get clear on what really matters to you. We have so many choices today about how to spend our time and energy, we have to decide what is most important. My yoga practice really matters to me, and the weekend with my teacher reinforced just how much.
2. Connect. Hang out with people you admire and want to model the enthusiasm, energy, and engagement they have for life. The people I want to connect with are genuinely excited about what they are doing. Collaborating with a community of yogis added to the richness of the weekend.
3. Create. It is challenging to change the familiar and comfortable, even if you aren’t fulfilled. Engagement requires us to learn new things, and be willing to be uncertain in situations. My business changed significantly this year with my hip surgery and I created a new model I will share with you next month.
4. Contribute. I recently spoke to Upstream Impact, a local organization who helps people rise out of poverty. I believe in their mission and wanted to give them mindfulness skills. The stories I heard and the people I met that evening were so inspiring, I was engaged all evening.
5. Commit. To stay present, enthusiastic, and involved in today’s busy and distracted world at work and anywhere else takes an active decision and a real commitment. Ask yourself, “Am I just interested in __________, or am I committed?“