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As I wrote this I was flying at 30,000 feet en route to Austin, Texas for the Think Better, Live Better event in January of 2016. I had a travel mug of orange tea next to my iPad Mini and a Bailey’s on the rocks next to that.
I didn’t intend on ordering a Bailey’s. It was given to me by the Southwest flight attendants.
It’s possible that the reason I got it was because of the tweet I sent before takeoff proclaiming that Alex, the flight attendant on the loudspeaker, provided the most entertaining pre-flight experience I’d ever had in my many miles of air travel. I’m not sure, but it was a nice gesture and they almost insisted that I take the drink. Alex may have even said “We’re getting you a Bailey’s on the rocks, okay?”
It was clear to me that Alex and his “family” (as he called them during the preflight emergency announcement) found joy in their work. Once the passengers in the cabin saw this joy first hand, it changed their attitude. You could hear laughter throughout the aircraft. It made that flight the most enjoyable I’ve ever had. (And I’ve flown in business class before, so that’s saying something!)
If you’re struggling to find joy in your work, it’s time to figure out why. Is it a matter of perspective? Are you overwhelmed? Are you focusing on the right things? Are you in the right line of work?
There’s this wonderful quote that Gretchen Rubin shares in this video she created:
“The years are short but the days are long.”
The years are too short for you to not be doing what you need and want to do in life. Every day gives you a new chance to find joy in the work you’re doing or even pursue a new career path. The changes you make to figure that out don’t have to be radical. Creating better boundaries for your days is a great place to start. Even keeping a journal that dissects your feelings and thoughts over the course of the day can provide elements of clarity.
Standing still won’t get you moving forward. Moving around may get you moving, but you could wind up moving about madly in the wrong direction. Look for what brings you joy and that will help show you the way forward.
One last thing: If you’ve decided to change your career for a good reason, it’s crucial that you identify the types of activities that excite you. What’s more, you also need to consider your personality. For instance, if you’re a caring person, a career in the healthcare industry might be the best direction for you moving forward. If you’re not sure where to start on that path, doing a little bit of research is a smart first step. (I’ll even make that first step easy for you: You can check out Wilkes pmhnp to determine whether this type of work will inspire you and make you come alive.)
I love it when I discover people who find joy in their work like Alex. It shows me that when you find joy in your work, it doesn’t matter what your work is because you will also have found the best way to do it at such an exceptional level.
Someone who has definitely found the joy in their work is Chris Guillebeau, author of Born For This. I had a chance to read a copy of the book and it’s a fantastic read. You can pick up the book here.
