Can We Share Broken Hearts At Work?

Last month, our family suffered the devastating loss of my sister. For almost 10 days, my entire professional life came to a screeching halt. My grieving process is far from over but I am working again: re-establishing contact with my clients and colleagues, coaching and writing. And it has caused me to reflect on a dilemma that I sometimes hear in my clients.

How much of my personal life should I reveal at work?

I have no simple answers. But I do want to tell you how important it was for me and for my clients to be able to show a side of ourselves to each other that seldom has permission to take center stage.

The wonder of our humanity is that we are heart and soul; mind and body. Yet, on a typical day, we connect mostly with our minds and mouths. We even struggle to tap into our hearts when we are alone. For a brief moment of blinding intensity, I felt the full force of my clients’ heart as they shared my pain. This momentary revelation has changed us and the relationship. We are a little bit more whole now as we work together.

In the spirit of bringing our whole selves to each other, I share with you two articles which I have written for Simple Marriage.

In the first article entitled, Our Children are Zen Masters, I reflect on the lessons learned about presence from my sons when they were infants.

In the second article entitled, We Are So Proud of Who You Are, I learn about acceptance and appreciation from a HS guidance counselor.

Talk to you next month,