It IS the Definition of Happiness

I was having a tough day so I searched through my quote books and found these words. It was EXACTLY what I needed to hear to cheer me right back to action, and I thought maybe someone else needs to hear and see this same message.

The hard choice is making sure that WE think what we do is worthwhile. I worked with an administrator who planned all the meals for our learning events. She didn’t think it was a very important job. I told her no one could learn without what she did getting done. She looked at me funny. I then reminded her that people cannot learn if they are hungry or thirsty. Without her arranging meals, snacks, chairs and supplies the learning would not occur. It may be a simple job in her mind, pointing out it’s importance let her know that what she spent her days doing was VERY worthwhile. She never complained again.

Tough days come and tough days go. Good times, bad times, dull times, bored times, frantic times, they all sweep in and out like dog hair in summer. None of us live a perfect, problem free, even keeled life everyday of the year. On the tough, bad, frantic, boring or seemingly meaningless days let these words remind us that what matters, WHAT REALLY MATTERS is doing something worthwhile. Spending, no make that investing our time into the thing we do well, that makes a difference in some way, and reminds us that we bring value to this crazy thing called life. The value may be simply doing our job well on that particular day. Nothing heroic, nothing earth shattering or that will solve global warming or balance the national debt. Just our job, doing it to our best ability and going to bed at the end of the day after doing a job well done.

So today choose to look at what you do as important, valuable. Maybe you need to view it from another perspective, like what would happen if your job never got done or was not done well? Who would suffer, how would the cogs in the wheel slow down or stop? What builds on what you do to make the bigger picture work? If you’re having a tough day, take a deep breath and ponder how what you do adds value and is worthwhile. Maybe you need to ask someone else what they think to help you gain perspective? However it happens, know that money comes and goes, adding value and doing something you think is worthwhile IS the definition of happiness!