The Healthy Cookie

For the duration of my time working at the spa, I was instructed to wear all white. I have never in my life done very well with being told what to wear (or what to do in general) but I figured that I’d be best off playing by the rules.

For the past two weeks I have been dressed in white from head to toe. Guests and the people I work with keep commenting on the fact that I am always in white. I haven’t a clue why I was told to wear all white. I am the only one in all white but it is all I brought. It does make getting dressed in the morning easy- but since in my world, all colours match- I never had much of a problem anyway. The point being, I feel a bit silly in these flowy white clothes. Like a marshmallow- or perhaps a fluffy cloud. Either way- I told this to my mom and she said that I may look like a cloud, but perhaps, I am more of the silver lining. Mom’s are sweet like that.

As my first full week of working here, actually my first week ever working as a nutritionist, comes to an end, I have remembered what I liked about having a job. Every job- no matter what it is, has its’ perks. As I am not only embodying a silver lining, I also like to look for the silver lining in everything and the perks of a job is the silver lining of work.

I have realized that, though at the end of the day work is work, it is best to find work where the perks are exactly what we thrive on. We all thrive on different things. Whether our job affords us plenty of interaction with others, golf trips, beer nights, travel, great co-workers, great challenge… whatever it is- the benefits have to be suited to us.

I certainly had my challenges the first half of the week when I found myself back in an office setting, sitting at a desk with a computer while outside my window the sun was shining, the ocean was crashing and happy people were laying around vacationing. It took me a few days to come to an understanding and an acceptance of the fact that I am not actually on vacation but here to work. As with most jobs mine involves time in front of a computer. What gets me through the hours I have been spending inside working are the amazing perks of working where I am working.

Going to work in the morning, I walk along this beautiful road in the early morning heat with horses and cows and an occasional goat roaming around. I am consulting with guests who are relaxed, blissed-out, kind, smiling and patient and that is a gift.

When I leave my office for lunch, I join the guests in the main restaurant, meet new people as we eat together looking out over the ocean. Before going back to work, I go for a quick swim in the sea and walk along the beach to dry off. If I have down time in the afternoon, I can pop into the fitness studio and join in for a yoga, pilates or dance class.

I work with other practitioners who are like minded- we share information and remedies. I spoke to the shiatsu practitioner while we were both waiting for our clients about some nutritional issues and she then offered to give me a massage the following day. On my day off I got a full body massage and then spent the afternoon at the beach. I had dinner that night with a couple on their honeymoon. The husband was a gastroenterologist and we have since exchanged emails as he is quite keen on learning about nutritional support for Inflammatory Bowel Conditions. That may be the best connection I’ve made so far.
When the massage therapists are doing training sessions and need an extra body- I generously lend mine for any sort of massages, facials or wraps. After work today, I joined the guests for tea time and watched some of my co-workers put on a circus performance. Best of all, I get to watch the sunset over the ocean everyday. If I chose to, I can stay at the resort for dinner, where I usually have dinner with some of the management or guests that I met in the day.

At the end of it all- it is a job. Like all jobs- there are elements of the work that I love and certain people I really enjoy working with. On the flip side, I have also been assigned tasks that I would be happy to not have to do and there are also people that I do my best to have minimum contact with. I quickly forgot about the politics of working with large organizations but this experience has again reminded me of the little games that are played.

Jobs and working and doing things we don’t want to do and interacting with people or situations we would rather avoid is simply part of life. There is no way around it. The important thing however is be certain to take notice of all the positives before the negatives. The benefits of any situation- whether it be a job, or a relationship, or an environment- must outweigh the negatives.

It is our own individual responsibility to see the bright spot- to focus on the silver lining rather than the darkness of the cloud. If that silver lining just doesn’t seem to exist- it then becomes our own responsibility to make the changes either in ourselves or in our situation that will enable that silver lining to sparkle brightly in the sunshine.

Must run- have a pilates class to catch followed by pool-side drinks. Another tough day at the office.