Rachel Salzberg
“Dharma” is about creating connection to what we do each day
“Dharma” is about creating connection to what we do each day, eliciting a sense of love, purpose, and belonging in life and work.
I heard the word Dharma recently, and it reminded me of a night years ago, where in my sleep, I was repeating the word “Dharma, Dharma, Dharma.” I was so moved and curious by the term that came to me as a repetitive statement, the next morning I looked into the meaning to learn that “Dharma” is a belief that humans are driven by having an internal purpose, a sense of duty, and that each person has a unique genius. From that moment on, I knew I had something to contribute in this world, even though I was unclear on the HOW to articulate it and live it out. I was scared that I would fail, or I needed to do something huge to make an impact. I did not believe that I could succeed doing what I believed in, or loved.
Over time, slowing down and taking time to reflect, and with support of coaches, I realized my “Dharma” is being a catalyst for transformation and bringing consciousness into the world, by helping people to develop a resilient mindset, identify and live out their purpose, and to help people to develop the courage to take action. I took small steps each day to build my coaching business, create the ReSoul Revolution Podcast Series, and write a book (in process). I look back at the amount of work I have accomplished, to realize that when you learn and articulate your “Dharma”, whether it be working in an organization, or for yourself, work feels inspired, and meaningful. It took slowing down, the awareness of limiting beliefs that held me back, and the courage each day to take a small step forward, in combination with prioritizing radical self-care.
Trying to live out our purpose is difficult when we are unclear how we want and can contribute to the world, and if we are not allowing ourselves to work and live that is supportive. Each of us has a unique set of talents and values that feed our best work. By finding compassion for yourself, seeing your challenges as gifts to help others, and allowing own needs and desires to shine, leads to radical levels of innovation and purpose. When you are aligned your “Dharma” we create a spark, even an existing situation, or job. Whether for yourself, your team, or organization here are some areas to reflect upon, and can include in your day-to-day practices.
Passion + Purpose = Service. What are my passions? How do I want to contribute to the world? How can I be of service? How do I want to live my life, and how do I want to do my work?
Passion is what we like to do, is a natural strength. Passion can be transformed into improving our skill set, and then can be turned into purposeful work.
To find your purpose, start by asking yourself what is the biggest pain that you would like to see solved, or to eradicate, unique to your own experiences. When were you excited to get up every day, what were you doing?
Even with the most seemingly mundane of jobs, or tasks, you can shift your lens to create a larger WHY in what you are doing, and define your unique contribution.
When you share what you care about, your own story, and vulnerabilities, the best connections, and innovations of our lifetime come alive. When we desire to solve a problem that we care about, we are able to find a deeper meaning, understanding and connection to what we are working on, whether it be a consumer problem, or personal problem. Each provides an opportunity to care, find compassion, and develop insights for innovation. Articulating and finding purpose takes slowing down to reflect, and getting uncomfortable with fear, and moving forward each day. Here are some quotes that have helped me:
“Slowing down is a superpower.”
“Open all doors, see which ones stay open, and keep moving forward.”
“Be comfortable with the uncomfortable.”
Learning to how to identify and articulate our sense of purpose is a reason for being in the world, and why we do what we do. Without it, we feel stuck, and empty. Creating our own WHY we get up every day, in our own unique, and simple way, has an enormous impact on our passion, and motivation, whether your own business, or working for a company. We can apply this knowing to everything we do, no matter how seemingly mundane it might be. We can also start to make decisions on how, and what we do for work. This same applies collectively, working for a team, or an organization. Knowing our WHY, articulating it every day, keeps people engaged, motivated and a creates a sense of belonging.
It was after that night over 12 years ago that my purpose began to take form, and evolve. By trusting in “Dharma,” and living and working in a way that promotes inspiration, I have found joy and satisfaction in my work, and life. I love being a catalyst for transformation helping people to develop a resilient mindset, find their purpose, and develop the confidence to take inspired action. As I found my path, I want to help others finds theirs.
