Is “work” a four-letter-word for you? Yes, obviously the word “work” has four letters, but I’m referring to the not-so-kind words your mom would wash your mouth out with soap if you used them as a child. For many of us, there is a negative connotation behind the word “work”. Have you heard someone say “I have to go to work” and you immediately felt sorry for them ? Or have you felt sad and agitated when you’ve uttered those words yourself? It was like they had to give up what they wanted to do because of that four-letter-word. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way! We can change how we feel our about work if we decide to. It would be great to use two other four-letter-words to describe work… “l-i-k-e” or “l-o-v-e”. Can you imagine feeling that way about going to work?! That would be awesome!
There are some things that make you happy, right? There are also some things you must do, to get to the things that make you happy. For example, if you love lying out on the beach or skiing, you have to get there. That may mean driving through traffic, catching a plane or some other form of public transportation, or walking. Somehow, some way, you have to get there. Then, to enjoy the beach or the ski slopes, you need certain things, like towels, sunscreen or skis depending on the activity. These are things you do so you can do what you enjoy. Work is one of the things most people do in order to be able to engage in the activities they enjoy. When you think about it, it’s kind of cool all the things that working allows us to do.
So take a moment. Think about all the things going to work helps you to do.
When you focus on the benefits you receive from working, you begin to feel differently about going to work. It doesn’t matter what type of work you do, you can feel differently about it – if you choose to. Work does not have to be a chore; it can be enjoyed. Zig Ziglar spoke of a woman waitressing in a restaurant. He said she was so happy and excited, that her enthusiasm was contagious. While Zig didn’t say it, I wouldn’t be surprised if the meal became more enjoyable simply because of his waitress’ pleasing personality and pleasant disposition. Can you imagine the tips received by someone who seems genuinely happy about serving you? Waitressing is NOT an easy job, but when you decide to be happy about serving people no matter what their attitude is, you will feel better and your patrons will too.
When one of my mom’s friends said she planned to work until she was 70 years old, I thought, how awful, she’ll be too old to enjoy retirement. She went on to say that she enjoyed her job and found so much joy in having the comradery of her co-workers and felt she continued to bring value to the organization, so she saw no reason to quit working because she was turning 65. On the other hand, I know some of my mom’s co-workers that were running out the door the day they were eligible to retire. It’s up to you. How you feel about going to work is up to you. You are the key to your happiness. You decide if you’ll allow other people to make your day at work unbearable or if you’ll let their comments and negativity roll off your back or be absorbed and make you respond negatively. It’s your choice. I suggest you choose to be happy.
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