How can I grow in the virtue of love this year?

You have probably gone back to work, been briefed for the year and possibly feel heavy and stressed with the prospect of even more work to do with less staff employed. Perhaps there were redundacies before Christmas, and you will miss those who are no longer part of your work environment. Perhaps there is exactly the same staff with the same annoying habits or perhaps there are some new staff to get to know.

The Christmas season is now completed both in the secular world where it celebrates for only one day and of course, litugically.  But how can we put the Christmas message  of " peace to people of goodwill"into our daily lives  throughout the year?

As Catholics, we want to grow in the love of God and our neighbour. You might like to

1. visit or revisit the virtue of Love part 1-3 in my Virtue series written in 2010 as a foundation for understanding this virtue.
2. Discuss it with your family and friends.
3. Pray to God to discern how you might put this into practice in your workplace.
4. Decide out 12 ways that you can act upon this in the work place. You may choose to use one of these suggestions for each month.
5. Once you have started your action plan, you may wish to monitor your progress in a diary and also note the changes that occur over time in your work place. 
6. Pray for all your office colleague who drives you nuts first before embarking on some action activiity.

As Catholics in the workplace, we have the capacity to change a toxic or stressed workplace environment. If we plan carefully, we can get others onboard either willingly or by our own example. We must not allow others to treat us as doormats, since that is not a healthy self- love.  However, we can find ways to grow in the virtue of love if we are truly wanting this goal.

Why not share your ideas. I would love to hear what action plan you put into place and  your progress during the year.

If you do not like this idea or it is not appropriate for your workplace, then try at least to think of  one change you would like to see/hear/feel in your workplace that could be implemented. Remember you may not expect miracles straight away, since many people feel uncomfortable with even small changes, but over time, your capacity to grow in love will occur and with that change, others will feel the change.