Lessons from The Tree for the New Work World
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The first step of the Faremouth Method™ is “Do a Self-Inventory.” When I look inside myself these days dealing with so many changes in the new work world, the words of Jo Ann Raptis, a behavioral scientist researcher, come to mind. She says:
“Be Like a Tree:
Stay Grounded
Connect With Your Roots
Turn Over A New Leaf
Bend Before Your Break
Keep Growing”
I visited the small island of Malta last year, a country I am proud to say is part of my heritage. I found so many references to trees and the “Tree of Life” painted on souvenirs, jewelry, leather goods, etc. When I asked a local person on the island why that was, he told me the Tree of Life is a vital symbol to the people of Malta because it reminds them of how trees regenerate and give hope and strength. Its roots symbolize our origins and our internal strength which has to be solid and resilient. The trunk is life itself which spans between the past and a future that is rich in luxuriant leaves and fruits.
I reflected back on how my father, who lived on the island of Malta until he was 12, would tell me stories about how this small island was so bombed and threatened during World War II but stayed strong and resilient through it all. In 1964, Malta became a sovereign and independent nation.
COVID-19, in some ways, has dropped a metaphorical bomb on the lives of all of us globally during the last several months and disrupted so much of the lives we knew, and especially, our work world. The Tree of Life just might have deep symbolism and meaning for all of us in these uncertain times. The Tree of Life commonly represents the interconnectedness of everything in the universe. It symbolizes togetherness and serves as a reminder that you are never alone or isolated, but rather, that you are connected to the world. The roots of the Tree of Life dig deep and spread into the earth, thereby, accepting nourishment from Mother Earth as its branches reach up into the sky accepting energy from the sun and moon.
Just how the people of Malta felt during World War II with their lives torn apart, they found a way to remain strong and we can too. Trees can weather the toughest of storms which is why they are such a prominent symbol for strength. The Tree of Life represents growth as a tree starts out as a small silicate sapling and grows over a long period of time into a giant strong tree.
Let’s take a look at some of the lessons the tree just might be teaching us in the new work world:
Be Like A Tree
The Tree of Life symbolizes one’s individuality as trees are all unique with their branches sprouting at the base. Covid-19 may be teaching us to look deep within at who we are, without all the busy go-go-go activities we had before. This downtime allows us to honor our unique talents and abilities and nourish them, allowing us to be a better version of ourselves. By expanding those talents, we can make a contribution to our own personal fulfillment and growth for the greater good of our planet.
Stay Grounded
No matter how many metaphorical storms, winds or even hurricanes, try to disrupt our vision or our center core, we need to stay grounded. This is the time to focus on allowing the roots of who we are, or who we can be, to dig deep into the earth of our soul and not be shaken by job losses, salary cuts, working from home, not having the camaraderie with co-workers we had before, etc. The workers who remain grounded through the storms of life will be recognized by bosses, peers and family as the rocks of strength with their strong determination to stay grounded and persevere, which will serve them well in the future.
Connect with Your Roots
This might be the opportune time to make the connection to your roots. Those roots might be your own personal validation of who you are and what is important to you. Take the time to learn about your ancestry and heritage. For me, learning more about my ancestral roots has propelled me to try hard to connect with the stories that my loving father always talked about to honor those qualities, abilities, and strengths. If you have an artistic flair that you have never actualized, pull out that paintbrush, get out those crafting materials, make that special necklace, etc. The roots can be external or internal. The key is to connect with them and honor them for your own wellbeing, growth, and happiness.
Turn Over a New Leaf
If you have lost your job, now is the time to see where else your skillset will lead you. If you have been a buyer in the retail industry, how can you transfer those skills and refine the keywords on your resume to make you a marketable candidate in a new industry? Look at your transferrable skills and how you can package them in an honest and true way to fit the algorithms of today’s digital world to get your resume selected for that interview in a new industry. Turning over a new leaf for you might be to put your career more online than in person these days. If you are a person who has trained in person, how can you change that training platform to be more online with the digital world of the new work world?
Bend Before You Break
If what you have been doing for the last 20 years is not in demand in the new work world, bend your idea of what you have done in the past to what you can do in the present and future. No one likes change. It’s not what we are used to. If we keep doing what we have been doing and it’s not yielding results, we need to bend before we end up hurting ourselves, or “breaking,” causing us physical and emotional harm.
Keep Growing
We all need to continue to grow. Sometimes forced growth isn’t always so bad. If this Pandemic is allowing you to take online classes with other professionals from other countries, think of the expanded awareness and education you will be receiving. Being forced out of our comfort zone is sometimes what we need for growth to take place in a new and different direction. The key is to never stop growing and adapting. We can get so comfortable in a role we’ve had for years that we don’t continue to grow. Look at this new growth opportunity as a new lease on life to expand who you are and meet new and exciting people who can make your life more fulfilling and enriching.
The tree is seen as a sacred symbol with meaning in so many cultures and spiritual philosophies, showing its universal recognition and significance. Every tree begins as a single seed and, when properly nourished, it develops a core strength. Just like Malta, which suffered extreme hardship during World War II, they were able to declare their independence and thrive. With nourishment and perseverance, we can overcome anything. We are more like that tree than we ever thought.
You have an opportunity now to let the Tree of Life symbolize many new exciting things which will allow you to branch out on your own personal Tree of Life and grow in ways that you could never have imagined!
Mary Ann Faremouth has been a regular contributor to the USA Daily Post since April of 2020 and to The Price of Business since August of 2019.
Kevin Price, the host of The Price of Business, is known for getting the big interviews — New York Times Best Selling Authors, Multi-Billionaires, National News Personalities, and More. Price is a multi-award winning journalist, author, speaker, columnist, and business news media personality.
The Price of Business is one of the longest running business shows in the country. It is nationally syndicated and distributed by USA Business Radio.