Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Whistle While You Work

What is so essential about happiness that we chase it all of our lives? Why are we willing to switch or abandon career tracks (something we invested considerable time and money into achieving) to chase down that illusive dream? Happiness means that little things don't add up to big things. Happiness means little to no boredom. Happiness means that you have your health, the love and support of family, and the desire to be more and achieve more for others. Happiness means you have the emotional capitol to spare to care about others.
People can do some crazy things to find what makes them happy. Some people leave everything behind and go out with nothing into the wilderness.
He dies in the end. I wonder what his answer would be, if we could somehow ask him, if it was worth it.

I am still not sure how I can reconcile being happy and working at the same time. I believe that I am on the right track, but I will never know for sure until I am actually out and doing. Right now I am going back to school to gain the training and knowledge to succeed out in the real world (hopefully) but they don't teach a course on happiness at my JC. Although, they do teach a Happiness class at Harvard. I wish I could attend, it is the most popular class there.

Wow!

We are coming out of an era of thinking that basically boiled down to, "Work to support your family, if you love them it is ok if your job sucks. Deal with it and put food on the table and a roof over their heads. That is the only self-fulfillment you deserve to ask for." I, for one, am glad that our current generation isn't willing to settle for being a corporate drone. We want recognition and adequate compensation. Now, when management threatens to show us the door for our requirements to achieve happiness in the work place, we actually walk through it. If that happens often enough, management is the one that thinks they need to change their current attitudes and practices.

I think one of the greatest achievements the Millennial generation can leave for the next is the right for people to be happy and the acknowledgement that we all deserve the chance to find it.

What do you think happiness means? Are you willing to go after it?
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1 comment:

  1. englishmusingsDecember 8, 2013 at 8:35 PM

    I think you really are onto something here, Heather. You make a valid observation on the importance of happiness and career satisfaction for Gen Y, and I happen to think you are right in your prediction. Employers simply won't be able to overlook this necessary element of the work environment. Not if they want to attract the best & brightest to their companies, and then retain them.

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