While Brown’s Chapter 4 is dense with developmental theories from Donald Super and Linda Gottfredson that I will focus on in our online discussion boards, I prefer to concentrate on the Duffy article for this blog entry. By far, the assigned Duffy (2006) article on spirituality, religion and career development was my favorite reading to date. I read through it quickly and felt engaged the entire way through. In fact, the article put me in a reflective place, even offering me the schema I had been lacking to describe my own career journey.
To explain, early in my career I taught as an elementary school teacher in a Catholic school and was required to teach religion classes. While I had a Catholic upbringing myself, I had honestly not felt connected to and in agreement with aspects of the religion from a young age. In short, I was uncomfortable with teaching religion classes. Despite having kind and supportive coworkers and supervisors, I often felt like I was “passing” inside the Catholic school system while I watched my coworkers reap the positive benefits that Duffy explains happen when one’s vocation and religious beliefs are genuinely aligned. Unfortunately, the opposite was happening to me. As Duffy explains, when someone is inside a religious environment yet feels on the fringe, rejected, ostracized (or, in my case, simply disconnected) with the religion, feelings of guilt, fear and anxiety can arise (Duffy, 2006, p. 53). I only taught religion classes in this particular school for one year, but I still remember feeling torn and anxious about the endeavor and, contrarily, can still recall the peace and satisfaction that I witnessed my fellow teachers feel around the very same aspect of the job.
Meanwhile, years later, I had the reverse experience. Working at my last job, I joined a Mindfulness meditation and book group on campus. Just being a part of that community, whose ideals and goals truly aligned with my own, made me feel connected, productive and more excited than ever about work with our students. I completely understand why “spirituality in the workplace, such as meaning making, meditation and sense of mission, relate positively to job satisfaction, job involvement and productivity” (Duffy, 2006, p. 54) because of my own personal shift thanks to the Mindfulness community.
My ultimate reasons for choosing to become a school counselor were well summed up in Brewer’s Vocational Souljourn Model: I wanted my work, meaning and being to match up, in particular the expression of my true self through work (Duffy, 2006, p. 57). I’ve always longed for that balance in my life, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to pursue those longings (spiritual longings, Duffy maintains) through meaningful work that is true to me. Yet Duffy goes on to write, “A key assumption… is that people have choices regarding the careers that they pursue. This assumption may be valid in the case of most college students but in no way can be extended to the general population” (Duffy, 2006, p. 59). Reading this, I’m reminded to be grateful for the choices I’ve been afforded throughout my life and career, to not take them lightly, and to work hard to extend as many choices as I can to the future students along my path. What thought provoking and resonating work the Duffy article turned out to be.
Duffy, R. D. (2006). Spirituality, Religion, and Career Development: Current Status and Future Directions. The Career Development Quarterly, 55, 55-63.
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