Did Work Steal Your Soul?
An empowering AMP session to help you reclaim your identity and joy amidst the daily grind
This Week’s AMP Session: Click (2006)
Life doesn't have to be a long series of sacrifices
Routines fast-forward your life
Is your smartphone consuming your life?
Be willing to slow down, let go, and learn how to enjoy life
No longer let work steal your soul
I've faced significant burnout three times in my life, and it has taken years of personal development for me to uncover a fundamental aspect about myself: my work is special, and I am not my work. For the longest time, my identity and self-worth were intricately tied to my professional pursuits. I believed that this was the only path to success. However, after enduring life-altering burnout on three separate occasions, I finally mustered the courage to examine this pattern. This week's AMP session, featuring "Click" (2006), significantly heightened my awareness of the root causes behind my burnout and motivated me to instigate transformative changes in my life. My hope is that you, too, gain fresh insights on disentangling your identity from what you do for work.
The following is an edited excerpt from our Peace Overtures Radio podcast: Did Work Steal Your Soul. If you’d prefer to listen to the podcast, here it is:
For many of us, work has consumed our lives, and perhaps, our souls. Is this a larger pattern, and what is our role in perpetuating it? Let's explore these questions through this week’s Alignment Movie Process (AMP) film: "Click" (2006).
Michael Newman, played by Adam Sandler, is a workaholic architect with a family. His boss, Mr. Ammer, takes advantage of him, pushing Michael to sacrifice family time for work. In a misguided attempt to simplify his life, Michael acquires a universal remote control from Morty (Christopher Walken). This remote lets him fast-forward and rewind through life, creating unintended consequences.
Adam Sandler is really funny in this film, although at times, I found it quite sad to see his life pass him by. As you watch this film, look out for these five key lessons in this AMP session.
Life Doesn't Have to Be a Long Series of Sacrifices
Before Michael receives his Universal Remote, he's torn between work and home. In both arenas, he feels like sacrifices are necessary for the family to have success and financial abundance. When he's at work, he's making this sacrifice so the family can thrive. When he's at home, he's making a sacrifice from work so he can stay connected to his family. Since he wants to be upwardly mobile AND have a family, he no longer has any choices left in life other than which sacrifices to make. Joy or fun seemed to always be deferred until the next promotion or the next holiday/vacation.
Routines Fast-Forward Your Life
While Michael is learning how to use his powerful new toy - The Universal Remote, he learns he can fast forward through the mundane parts of his life. For example, he doesn't want to take the time to shower and brush his teeth each morning, so he just clicks fast-forward, and "shazam" - he's off to work. He does this with meals, lovemaking, and fighting with his wife. Michael doesn't realize that the remote learns his choices and begins fast-forwarding for him, which he starts to realize is ruining his life. He's missing everything but the work. Morty explains to him that while his life is in fast-forward mode, he's on "auto-pilot" - not engaged, just going through the motions.
At times, we all get stuck in our routines like this. It is a way of not getting bored with life. We create a routine and then disengage to autopilot. We get up at the same time every day, take the same way to work, and we carve out routines from coffee, lunch, to even what time we take breaks and then back home again for another series of routines. We forget to inject some fun and laughter into our life. The more we do this, it's like our whole lives are on autopilot, and we're unable to hear the calling of our soul for something different. The call to engage in life.
Is Your Smartphone Consuming Your Life?
"Click" was released in 2006, before everyone had smartphones here in the U.S. The iPhone wasn't released until June of 2007. I found it interesting to see how similar Michael's Universal Remote was to our modern smartphones. These devices were meant to make life easier. But you have to question whether technology has really made our lives easier or more complicated.
While you’re discerning if you’re smartphone is consuming your life, start watching others with their phones. It’s amazing how many of us are shopping, exercising, and driving while reading texts, replying to social media posts, using apps, and on and on. This AMP includes statements to help us be mindful of our technology use.
Be Willing to Slow Down, Let Go, and Learn How to Enjoy Life
As Americans, we've had a pattern of workaholism since the founding of our country by Puritans. I’ve written about how the patterns that are present at the beginning of anything new will continue to replicate like fractals until recognized and changed. Perhaps as Americans, we're still not aware of how much we've slipped into this workaholism pattern. And it doesn't seem to be changing.
In our book, It's Just Commerce: Returning Balance to Business, we wrote about the French philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville's observations about Americans' passion for work. His impression of the US in the 1820s led him to perceive Americans as more about doing and staying busy than about the idle time that sparks ideas. He says,
"What I want to remark above all is that not only are they occupied, but they have a passion for their occupations. They are perpetually in action and each of their actions absorbs their soul; the fire they put into affairs prevents them from being inflamed by ideas."
You could argue that Americans have become so consumed by work that it's a part of the fabric of being an American. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, try to notice how often people talk about how busy they are. You'll notice this is the basis for many of our conversations at work and at home. Yeah, it seems we wear our work ethic on our sleeves, and if we're not telling people how busy we are, we must not be successful. So we're all busy, strapped for time, and exhausted. I believe, like any pattern, this can change too. If we're willing to be aware and make a change. So first, do some observations of your own and see if you notice how busy we all are – every second accounted for. Second, start giving yourself permission to slow down, let go, and begin finding out what a joy-filled life is for you. You may be surprised; it's hard to do - because work is always the big elephant in the room blocking the door to exploration and fun.
No Longer Let Work Steal Your Soul
Work has become so much a part of being alive as an American that you have to wonder if we've allowed it to steal our souls. This is the question I think all of us should ask. Not how to discover work-life balance. It's how to live a life no longer allowing work to steal our souls. Yeah, I know - the reality of modern business today suggests work will always have the last say. Especially if we're ambitious and desire to thrive financially. But is this just a collective belief that we've all reinforced and continue to perpetuate? What if we shifted away from this belief? Would we discover a new balanced work life that doesn't suck every ounce of energy and spirit from us? I believe it's possible - but first, we have to change the pattern within.
10 Key Resonance Benefits from Watching the AMP Film Click
A letting go of the belief that there's no such thing as work-life balance.
A releasing that your work is your life.
A realization that you won't live for 200 years and that now is all you have.
A letting go of the belief that your life is a series of sacrifices between work and your personal life.
An ability to mindfully be aware of allowing your smartphone to put you into autopilot mode.
The support to discover the middle path between work and life that brings you joy.
A releasing of the belief that once you get enough money, then you'll have the time to slow down and enjoy life.
A willingness to give yourself permission to discover what a joy-filled life means to you.
An ability to mindfully choose between work and pleasure.
The willingness to allow your heart to lead you to a balanced work life filled with joy.
For the full resonance benefits of this session, remember to start with The Intention Session first, and then watch the movie in its entirety. If you find yourself getting sleepy during the movie, pause and continue another day.
Ready for a Personal Transformation?
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When you embark on an Alignment Coaching Session, together we’ll explore the possibilities for a profound personal and spiritual transformation with the Alignment Movie Process (AMP). It’s a delightful way to experience lasting change while watching movies.
Finally, if you would like an AMP session to help with what’s up for you and you don’t mind sharing it here, just leave a comment and I’ll provide a film to assist.
I am still at the office at 7:30pm. Does that answer your question? I need this session, I think.