It’s very easy for each of us to get bogged down with the boring, normal day-to-day life. This is especially true when your job is just a job and not a passion. As someone who freelances, I have the luxury of not spending too much time at one job. I can’t tell you how many times, though, someone has said to me (in response to my complaining or frustration at a particular job) “it’s just a job.”
While that is one way to look at things, that “it’s-just-a-job mentality” can really perpetuate a problem of unhappiness. In this economy the smarter thing to do may be to just keep going to the job and making money but there really is a larger picture at stake here. Every minute that passes is a minute that will never, ever happen again in your life. It doesn’t matter if it’s just one single minute. That is still one single minute that you will never have again. It’s so easy for our lives to be built on throwaway time. You know, what I do in this minute doesn’t matter –> which soon adds up to what I do in this hour doesn’t really matter–> which adds up to what I do today doesn’t matter–> which soon adds up to what I do this week doesn’t really matter in the scheme of things –> which very quickly can add up to “what did I do this year?” or even worse “Where did my life go?” We can become so caught up in the insignificance of little things that we forget that we only have one shot at life. We really need to remember to grab life by the horns!
Me at work on one of our very, very long days setting up for Commencement. Definitely looks like I’m in danger of slipping into the “it’s-just-a-job mentality. (when this picture was taken we were doing some serious troubleshooting of a system that wasn’t working out for us)
A really great example of this is my mom. She was unhappy at her job. Her and her boss just didn’t see eye-to-eye. Her boss was not a clear communicator and just always seemed unhappy with whatever my mom was doing. Eventually this unhappiness really caught up to my mom and rather than throwing away another 40 Hours a week until she retired or found something else –which, let me tell you, in this economy it may have taken until she retired to find something…okay that might be a slight exaggeration–she quit! I’m very proud of her for doing so.
My mom and me on a trip to the art museum!
She took hold of her own life and made a decision to improve her overall well-being. I don’t think I’d ever be able to do that unless it was absolutely horrible and physically harming me! I’m too much of a worry wort! I like to know that I have income. And, although her and my dad have to really watch their expenditures now while she is looking for other work, she is overall happier.
Happy Mom!
So, what if quitting your job stresses you out more than just sucking it up and living with the “it’s-just-a-job mentality”? There is another way you can help yourself feel more fulfilled and happy in life and that is through hobbies and creative outlets. Some people may like being artsy, some people may want to join a local soccer team. Whatever it is, do it!!! There’s no point putting it off! A little adjustment in your life can go a long way.
I, personally, have really been working out regularly and also crafting! I want to be healthy, hence the working out. And I love designing and creating.
Three of the fascinators I made
So, making jewelry and accessories, especially out of unusual things is another activity I started doing.
One of my favorites! A cocktail ring I made out of an old clip earring!
Recently, a friend of mine even asked me to submit some of my crafts to a benefit she was involved with. That was extremely flattering!
My Accessories, all tagged and ready to go to the Benefit!
(Her and her husband are also encouraging me to put the stuff I make up on Etsy to earn a little extra income… which, time permitting, I may do over the summer.)
Before I really started digging in and doing these things, I always thought, I don’t have the time, I’m too tired, blah blah blah. Well, little changes really go a long way. I find that now I feel more energized, I wake up in the morning happier to start my day and things don’t annoy me as much as they used to.
So basically the points I am trying to share with you for today’s Wisdom Wednesday are:
– Don’t waste your time just coasting through
– Every Single Day do something that makes you happy (whether it is working toward a new career or something outside of work that you enjoy)
– Grab life by the horns and make things work out the way you want them to!
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