I recently read a statistic that more than half of Americans feel disengaged in their jobs!

This made me sad for that half of our population, and I wondered if it’s the same in the funeral profession. I know long hours and very little work life balance can be tough on the psyche, and can cause long-term symptoms such as depression. And when we’re stressed, the mind can get clouded, and sometimes our emotions can get the best of us.

Sometimes we can even feel stuck in a rut in our job, even if we are real life superheroes.

I LOVE finding new ways to stay passionate and fired up about my work, and I wanted to offer up some ways that I have been able to, with a little help from some of the greatest career and life coaches out there. Check them out below:

1. Take a moment and really visit your loss of passion

“The number one step to rekindling your passion at work is to take a step back and figure out why you’ve lost that passion. Dig deep. Was it that you never had enthusiasm to begin with? Are you in a different season of your life that may require change?”

Rosalee Laws, Author (via Forbes)

Put it into action: Take out a journal and get clear on the emotions that have led you to feeling un-excited about your role as a funeral professional. Write them down. Once you arrive where you are emotionally, and feel in touch with those core emotions, you can begin to take the steps necessary to reclaim your passion.

2. Make the decision to reclaim your passion!

“Most people jump on the river of life without ever really deciding where they want to end up. So, in a short period of time, they get caught up in the current: current events, current fears, current challenges.

When they come to forks in the river, they don’t consciously decide where they want to go, or which is the right direction for them. They merely ‘go with the flow.’ They become a part of the mass of people who are directed by the environment instead of by their own values. As a result, they feel out of control.”

Tony Robins, excerpt from Awaken the Giant Within

Put it into action: Tony Robins says making the decision to reclaim your passion is sometimes the hardest part. He says making decisions is like a muscle, and a lot of us have let our decision-making muscles get flabby. Are you truly ready to re-ignite your passion for your career in funeral service? If you are, make the DECISION, and don’t look back. Let all of your actions from here on out drive that decision forward.

3. Think back to your first day as a funeral director.

“What was the one thing that you were most excited about… Was it the challenge of something new? Was it the opportunity to sell new products or services? Was it the opportunity to lead a team for the first time? What was that one thing that made your heart race and your eyes light up?”

Carson Tate, Business Coach (via Huffington Post)

Put it into action: Ahh, back to the humble beginnings. Think about your first days or months as a funeral professional. Recall the emotions behind the things that made you most excited about your role. How can you re-create those emotions? You can’t go back in time and be a new funeral home employee again, but you can re-create those feelings by aligning your actions with your desired emotions.

For example, if you were really excited about the idea of being in a NEW role, that would challenge to you stretch your skill set, perhaps you could try our next tip…

4. Re-engage yourself by learning something new

“When I talk to folks who say, ‘I hate my job,’ what I find in many cases is that they’re bored. The most important thing someone can do—and perhaps the easiest—is to learn something new. As soon as you start learning something new, you get excited again!”

Kerry Hannon, author of Love Your Job: The New Rules for Career Happiness (via Monster.com)

Put it into action: There are so many new skills to learn now that the funeral profession is changing so rapidly! Do any of these changes inspire a spark in you to learn something new? Would becoming a funeral celebrant, or learning more about green funerals re-inspire you? Take a course or class, and see how you feel afterwards. Here are a few we recommend.

5. Challenge the “status quo” in your life

“Are we working in the most efficient and effective way? Or are we simply doing what we are doing, because that’s the way it’s always been done? Review the status quo. Climb out of the rut and challenge how things are done…

Shake things up a bit. Consider doing things differently – whether it’s the route or mode of transport that you take to get to work, or even how you do things at work. Taking stock and making changes will give you a new perspective and a new energy.”

Natasha (via the Law of Attraction Blog)

Put it into action:  Monotony is the killer of joy; we all know this. So what mundane things could you shake up by making a tiny shift? Perhaps you could try doing your staff meetings outside rather than in (weather permitted of course), or even switch something like your morning routine up. You could even change the coffee shop you go to on the way to work. One small change could inspire a big change in your life, or at least your feelings. Give it a try!

6. Connect back to your funeral home’s “why”

“Learn more about your [funeral home’s] mission, if you haven’t already. It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day tasks of any job, but consider how your work feeds to a larger mission that impacts others. Sometimes we don’t need to change careers to ignite our passion. We just need to shift our thinking — and sometimes our role.”

Spencer Rascoff (via Inc)

Put it into action:  Sure, being a funeral professional can be tough. But how easy is it to step back and see the real impact you and your team are making in other people’s lives? A lot of research out there shows that employees are most engaged at work when their goals and actions are personally meaningful.

How can you get there? We recommend holding a non-formal meeting with your CEO, boss, and/or teammates and get re-connected to your mission, vision and your impact. Once you’re fired up with WHY you’re doing what you do, you might find your way more inspired to actually do it – even the mundane tasks.

7. Change something about your environment

“Countless studies have shown that there are subtle ways in which your surroundings are affecting your ability to focus. For example, did you know there is a stark difference in your emotions if you work against a blue versus a red accent wall? Or that the temperature you set your air conditioning could be contributing to lost productivity?”

Via the Trello Blog

Put it into action: I personally believe in the power of Feng Shui (learn more about it here), and regularly re-organize my work desk and home every few months to avoid feeling stagnant When’s the last time you did this? Perhaps your lack of passion could be linked to the subconscious ways you’re perceiving your environment. Candles, incense, pictures, and cushions are great ways to create a more enjoyable environment with very little effort. Or, you could even ask your fellow funeral home employees to help you.

Still need some inspiration?

Here are a few more easy ways to re-ignite your passion in seconds:

• Make a new friend at work (or out of work)
• Get a mentor
• Become a mentor

• Keep a journal
• Ask for new responsibilities
• Ask for less work
• Ask for more work
• Write down 10 reasons why you’re AMAZING at your job
• Write down 10 reasons you’re grateful for your job

A lot of times, many of us find that a new job isn’t the fix to the problem, and it’s actually about more subtle, subconscious ways we’re sabotaging our own happiness in a job that we actually love.

One of the easiest ways we can catch this self sabotage is if we feel ourselves just going through the motions in our job. Again, it may not be about the job itself, but actually your beliefs about it.

So before you give your two weeks notice and plan a cruise around the world to find yourself, please do check in with yourself thoroughly, and try all of these tips.

But, if you do genuinely feel ready to move on, or retire, move forward with confidence, and do not fear the unknown. Instead, be excited about it!

Whatever you chose, remember that your work as a funeral professional – no matter how minuscule or grand – is important. And we know that you’re here for a reason that is bigger than money, or stability, or temporary happiness. We know you’re here because you chose a service that the world needs, and we thank you for it.

How have you been able to re-ignite your passion for your role as a funeral pro? Tell us in the comments below!

Rochelle Rietow

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