Being of Service

I never really understood what it meant to "be of service." I always thought that there would need to be a grand gesture of going to Aftica on a Mission trip or doing something else equally extraordinary. I never realized that I could be of service just where I am. The part I was missing is that I really don't need to concentrate on what I am going to do in the service area. I needed to change my perception to always think "How can I help?"

I work at a very large company with layers upon layers of organizational structure. I inhabit a cube that is famous for housing the only Gaiam Ball Chair in the company - with the possible exception of the fitness center. All of the walls are tan and the cube fabric is beige. I lovingly call this place beige-land. 

I have been wondering for a while now what my purpose is in this place. I have had the feeling that there was a larger reason that I was in that role at that organization and I needed to wait for the answer. The waiting is difficult, searching for clues to a purpose in beige-land. The work became monotonous, boring, stale. Tasks become de-motivating and repetitious. Some people love jobs like this... I do not thrive in this environment.


As I have been patiently asking for guidance, messages from different areas pacified my antsi-ness. It started one Sunday, before what turned out to be an incredibly sweaty yoga class, my teacher (Marlene) said, "Remember... you are right where you need to be at this moment." She has probably said this many times over, this was just the first time I heard it. Then she proceeded to put together a series of poses that were challenging and completely inspiring.


Another Sunday, again after Marlene's class, I was grocery shopping and quite literally ran into the card rack and was faced with a card that said, "Do what you can, where you are, with what you have!" (Teddy Roosevelt) This quote helped as I was attempting to sell a house in an incredibly low market, then realizing that I was not going to find a new house with the quality I wanted within my budget. This quote was more of a mantra during this period in time

The message that brought the pieces together for me was during Teacher Training. Rolf gave a dharma talk that I could grab onto. He talked about a previous job where he seemed to be in constant conflict with his boss. After a while of being in conflict he finally changed his mode of thinking to "How can I help." One day he walked into his bosses office and, instead of arguing against his bosses idea, asked that question; "How can I help?" This changed the dynamic of his relationship with his boss... to the point that he attended Rolf's wedding.


I realized I needed to take these three items and blend them into a mode of operation that is completely selfless and focused on the greater good. In addition, I wanted to be mindful of how I utilized it... over-using it could cause me not to follow through on other "How can I help you?" commitments. I started to use this as I walked through the halls, met with my team, interact with my boss(es). Then I noticed things start to change. Not only for me, but around me. People became more focused on how they can help others. At the end of last year I was assigned a new role that allowed me to put this to the test. Incredibly, I have noticed that the people not looking to help others but only out to help themselves are being asked to either change or find a new activity. I have noticed the use of the word "Mindful" in sentences and to describe work. The best part is; I am seeing change in the organization that gives me hope.

This action is what it means to "BE of service." Always being in the mode of "How can I help?" is beneficial to everyone