Dear HRart Worker,
Many of us underestimate the lingering impact of past workplaces, which I can only describe as ghosts haunting our present.
These experiences, though painful, are often held onto tightly, seen as badges of honor that made us stronger and more resilient.
But in reality, they’ve left many of us feeling afraid, uncertain, and numb, leading to disengagement not just at work, but in life overall.
Before we dive into the tool to help release these ghosts, let’s reflect on the kinds of ghosts you may have picked up from past workplaces.
Do you have?
- Micromanagement Scars: This ghost could manifest as lingering feelings of anxiety and inadequacy stemming from a previous manager who constantly scrutinized and controlled every aspect of your work, leaving you feeling suffocated and stripped of autonomy.
- Failed Project Haunt: This ghost might represent a project or initiative that failed spectacularly in a previous job, leaving you with unresolved feelings of disappointment, self-doubt, or even resentment towards colleagues or superiors involved.
- Toxic Culture Specter: This ghost could symbolize the toxic culture of a previous workplace, where bullying, harassment, or discrimination was rampant and left lasting emotional scars, impacting your confidence and trust in future work environments.
- Burnout Phantom: This ghost may be the manifestation of burnout experienced in a previous role, where chronic stress, long hours, and unrealistic expectations led to physical and mental exhaustion, ultimately affecting your overall well-being and work-life balance.
- Career Stagnation Wraith: This ghost could represent a period of stagnation or lack of growth in a previous job, where you felt trapped in a dead-end role with limited opportunities for advancement, leaving you feeling unfulfilled and undervalued.
These are just a few examples of the ghosts of workplaces past that anyone could encounter, each carrying its own emotional weight and impacting current perceptions and behaviors in the workplace.
Undoing the effects of past experiences isn’t a simple task; it requires venturing into uncomfortable territory and reexamining our paths with transparency, shedding the conclusions we’ve held onto for so long.
I’ve crafted a 10-minute guided meditation audio to guide you through this lesson with ease. Through visualization and Qigong healing sounds, we aim to address and heal some of the lingering wounds from past workplace experiences, facilitating their release.
As you immerse yourself in this meditation, you might experience a deep sense of relief, as if a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. I encourage you to set aside any skepticism for just 10 minutes and observe how you feel afterwards.
By acknowledging and releasing these past experiences, we pave the way for personal growth and transformation.
I encourage you to utilize this audio multiple times over the coming month, each session focusing on a different “ghost” from your past experiences. Embrace the process, and with each session, may you find increased clarity, resilience, and a renewed sense of self. Take gentle care of yourself on this healing and growth journey.
Sincerely,
Samm Smeltzer, DMQ
