A Very Modern Ailment

In the financial pages of one of Spain´s more prestigious newspapers last week, there was published a survey of 10.500 professional workers from the end of 2007. One of the results of that survey showed that 8 out of every 10 (some 15 million Spaniards) felt unfulfilled in their work.
Happiness it appears has little to do with achieving that professional qualification. And this in a country that traditionally has a pretty laid back professional class compared to many other European nations.

So what does happiness mean and where is it to be found if not in the activity that consumes most of our conscious time on this planet?

Studies concur that happiness has little to do with our external affairs. Despite the promises of the consumer market, it remains a great fallacy of our age that contentment can be found in the acquisition of material goods or the attainment of social prestige. Serenity and tranquillity cannot be ordered by Internet shopping stores, and Pay Pal may provide ease of use, but provides little guarantee of ease of mind.

It seems that quite the opposite to what we really want actually occurs. Desire is increased, vanity pampered to, anxiety, worry, fear, anger all flow from the ever increasing dissatisfaction with work as we seek consumer outlets for our frustrated creative souls that hunger for true expression in our work, true taste in the foods we buy and truth and honesty in the sales pitches of both politicians and market economists as we enter yet another downturn in global security.

To break out of this vicious cycle of consumerism and dissatisfaction, the report states we need to live consciously.

Am I not Doing that Now?
There is a difference. And that is to understand that what we feel inside does not depend on what happens to us, but rather our attitude and interpretation to each and every experience.
To be able to do this a higher level of internal energy is needed - one that is not dissipated by the nonsense of life - but instead reinforced and reinvigorated by simple activities we choose to follow.

The article concludes by suggesting a few simple changes to our daily routine:
- Drink more water
- Breathe deep and often.
- Sleep well - even if just a few hours.
- Practise regularly some form of exercise.
- Find a moment in every day to be silent and to do absolutely nothing.

Whats interesting about this article is not what it is saying - hardly anything revolutionary - but to whom it is addressed. It is not addressed to the converted. It is addressed to the very people that are responsible for the work structures and attitudes that in part create the problem. Perhaps its a sign of a new change. I´m choosing to interpret it so.

For more info out the video below: