I've been a fan of Simon Sinek for years, and as such, I am subscribed to get a daily e-mail with a pearl of wisdom. I typically share these on various social media channels as I feel that great content and little tidbits that make you think are better shared than hoarded.
This week, I received the following quote: "Bad days don't make it a bad job. Good days don’t make it a good job. Like a relationship, it’s the general feeling we get when we think about our work, and not the excitement or stress on any particular day, that defines our fulfillment."
Amen, and I'd like to expand on that. Not only does a bad day not equal a bad job nor a good day make a good job, your happiness is not determined by your JOB.
I have seen quite a few tweets and LinkedIn posts lately from people who will equate their mood to their job satisfaction or how their day at work has been. It's simply not that simple. Happiness comes from within - true happiness is up to you. Yes, we can take pride in a job well done or in helping to solve a problem. However, that's not happiness, that's pride in our work.
I read a book with my neighborhood book club lately called "Happiness is a Habit," and I encourage you to read it if you have not had the chance. There are over 40 "habits" in the book to practice, and spoiler alert: not one of those habits was related to our jobs. In fact, many of them were related to self-care, spending time with those that energize us rather than drain us, giving back, etc.
Rachel Hollis discusses the idea of happiness in her book "Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be." One of the "Lies" in her book is "The Lie: Something Else Will Make Me Happy." She discusses the tragic misstep in making your happiness dependent on something happening.
In the business world, it can sound like this:
"When I have my dream job, I'll be happy."
"When I reach this level in my career, I'll be happy."
Sound familiar? What are you waiting on? How long will this take, and are you okay with being "unhappy" in the meantime?
Growing old is not a luxury afforded to all. What if you find yourself standing and the pearly gates (or whatever your faith equates with the end of your time on earth), and you have a full list of work-related accomplishments, job-related satisfaction, and there was no time for yourself, your loved ones, or your friends as you were busy building this career, constantly overwhelmed, so that you could finally be "happy?"
Starting today, what steps can you take toward true happiness that comes from within? What one thing can you do today to take responsibility for your life and your happiness?
Choose to be happy.
Nicole is the Vice President of People & Culture at MVAH Partners, serving the community by developing and managing quality affordable housing for those who need it most in nearly 100 properties in 15 states. She is responsible for the overall people and culture strategy, fostering and strengthening a culture of collaboration, innovation, excellence, and initiative. Nicole has a passion for people-centric servant leadership, creating space for authenticity and connection – inspiring others to bring their best, most authentic selves to work each day. Nicole’s expertise includes HR consulting, leadership, strategic workforce planning, building and developing high performing teams, change management, recruitment and retention, and coaching. Nicole is a proud member of the SHRM A-Team, and she is the former Social Media Director for the Ohio SHRM State Council and her local SHRM Chapter, GCHRA. She was a member of the 2019 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition Blogger Team and the 2021 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition Influencer team. She is a contributing member of the Forbes HR Council, the 3Sixty Insights Global Executive Advisory Council, the Select Software Reviews Expert Council, and Moguls in HR.
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