soul food friday ~ being connected

I had a very interesting day yesterday. I woke up after my day off and really didn't want to go to work. I actually had to talk myself into it...and that's unusual...and not a good thing. No, not good at all.
As I was driving to work I tried to figure out why I was feeling that way. And once I allowed myself to think about it...because really...who wants to think about these things...it was actually pretty clear. I was feeling disconnected. From my work, from the people I work with, from my ability to be creative there. I have a great job. I work with clever, lovely, fun people in a beautiful environment. And yet...I couldn't shake the glooms. And I didn't think it was because it was the end of a long, tough year or days and days of rain.
I talked it through with a colleague at lunchtime...in our communal kitchen. And as I talked about my feelings of disconnection, the solution became very clear to me. I needed to move. Not away from the company, but away from my office. And into the open plan. Towards my colleagues.

Having an office of your own is a bit of a status thing isn't it? I've had a lot of them. But the 'geography' of this one kept me away from everyone else. A corner office (everyone's dream!), but a corner office around a corner...if you can imagine that. I could hear people but I couldn't see them, and they couldn't see me. I wasn't connected. So I moved my stuff out on to the main floor late yesterday. And already I feel better...and it was also lovely to have people say that they thought it was great. They might not think that this time next week though!

And that one, simple act...that on-the-spot decision, will make a huge difference...of that I'm sure. I'm an extrovert...mostly. I know there will be times when I wish I was back in my office (which we're going to use as a library and meeting room) but I know it's the right thing for me to do. Amazing how a simple physical change can create a mental change as well.

Being connected is essential to a happy life don't you think? And it's what the blogging world does so brilliantly. We reach out over the ether. We get concerned when someone is going through a rough time. We sympathise.  We encourage. We say 'bravo' when someone does something great, or even just has a go. We ask for advice and we get it. If we're lucky we make wonderful friendships. We find people we get to meet in real life and a whole lot more we'd love to meet. We discover people who are on our wavelength (I'm not the only knitted dishcloth nut out there...am I??). A lot of you give me the best laughs with your priceless, kind, witty, cheeky comments. People might disappoint us; we might disappoint them. But the bottom line for me is this...we connect.

So as I reconnect with my workplace I want to thank you for the connections you've given me...so very generously...and I want to tell you how much I appreciate them. You're a top lot :)