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It's so funny sometimes when one ponders on the kinds of things that set them on a particular path.
Many years ago, mine happened. In retrospect, I can say I'm grateful it did.
One fateful morning, I had arrived for the day's work at the company where I worked for ten years - SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Limited. I was working on the field at the time.
Donning my coveralls, I walked towards one of the workshops where my team gathered for the morning’s ritualistic safety meetings.
Just a few meters away from the entrance stood the construction manager at the time, Paolo Gallo. He beckoned me over. Smiling, I approached.
“Buongiorno, Paolo.” Having stayed in Italy for a year, I could speak some basic Italian.
“Nobis, come stai?” He asked.
“Bene, bene, capo,” I replied.
It was a Monday. He asked me a few questions about my family and we exchanged pleasantries. What happened next marked the turning point for me during my working years as an engineer and catalysed the switch.
“Nobis, what the name?” He asked, pointing to an insect on the ground. I looked, and told him it was just an insect, one of the many found in Nigeria.
“Ma, what the name?” He asked.
“I don’t know, capo.”
“You possible chop cockroach?” He asked. I looked at him, a mix of emotions rippling through my body.
“No, capo, I no possible chop cockroach,” I replied.
“Ma, if I sack you now, you possible chop cockroach because you no have money,” he said, a smug look on his face.
I looked at him, forcing a smile, then I walked away.
In retrospect, I’m still in awe of how I reacted towards him at the moment.
I didn’t take it as a racist statement. I saw it as a statement of fact. The meaning I gave to his statement empowered me. I could have chosen otherwise.
The meanings you give to events in your life determines how emotionally graceful you turn out become or how depressed you become.
Oh, can I say that again? It came to me as a rhema as I typed. So, I say again :
The meanings you give to events in your life determines how emotionally graceful you turn out become or how depressed you become.
Paolo Gallo made me know that my life was tied to my job. The lives of many of my colleagues were tied to their jobs. It seemed that the job defined our existence, our humanity, our future.
Paolo stirred the waters that day. His words pushed me towards the life that I live today.
I desired to live a life where I could be free to create, where a job didn’t tie me to a stake and defined how my future panned out.
In all, I realised that it was all in my mind, In our minds. Jobs define the security we desire to feel. We feel that without them, our lives are without meaning.
That fear of loss and the ugly future painted by its loss keeps us bound, multiplying the motions of busyness, but further pushing away the possibility of ushering our greatness into palaces that give our lives the sparkle we desire.
While I was in the transition phase, a few indicators made me know it was time.
- I hated hearing the crow of the cocks in the morning.
- I loved the break hours so I could quickly dive into what gave my life meaning - writing, consulting, and coaching.
- I loved closing hours at work. Once it clocked 5 in the evening, my excitement became feverish.
- My mind kept darting away from the computer screen into my clients’ contracts and projects.
- I craved public holidays and downtimes at work.
- Despair and depressive moments when management announced extra hours of work.
Are you experiencing any of these at work? You need help!
This is inspiring.
Most times the way we process feedback or people's statement to us determines the outcome/message we get.
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