I think about things daily that I sometimes don't think other people ever consider. Though, undoubtedly I am incredibly wrong, I get this feeling that I am the only one. If I say something, someone else might think I'm a raging lunatic, and absurd on every realm to be relaying my ridiculous inner thoughts. I sit alone in my living room watching documentaries and getting all of these ideas and opinions and I get SO excited to hear them, and BOOM. You're alone and you peer into the kitchen, as a dust bunny rolls across the floor, hoping someone will walk out that you can share this AWESOME show with, but no one is there. I'm not alone, but sometime I feel I truly am. This is when I realize that I need a little more human contact, and maybe a cup of coffee to get me to kick my sorry self into gear and integrate with other minds. That's why I am here!
I am new to blogging, but not new to writing. Though my journal is a much safer place where I will never receive cruel feedback, I feel it's time to venture out and share my inner conversations between me, myself, and I, with someone else.
OK, let's hop right onto this train.
TED TALKS. Have you ever seen a Ted Talks episode? Some may be groaning. I remember those days when some of these videos passed as a portion of class time in high school. Hey, we're (I) am much older now, and I am incredibly excited about this! Check out the Ted Talks video I posted for the detailed lecture, but the content is what shot out at me.
Personally, I contemplate many things about my future very often. Mostly because I am under the typical (correct me if I'm wrong) American mindset that I need to work, work, work in order to bring success to myself or my future family. There is little room for error, if you truly want a great job, you will need to work tirelessly towards your goal. Larry Smith, the economist speaking in the video, reminds us of the ways that we stand alongside our futures and expect one to take hold once we have worked hard. It's thought finding a great career is a matter of luck and networks, confidence in yourself, obsessive working, or just working REALLY hard. Once you do these things, you will be happy.
I had to think for a minute, and knew this old man was speaking about all of us, but it felt so strangely like he was speaking only to me. Why can't we be happy through the entire "working hard" process? Maybe that's what is wrong with our culture and society. We idolize the
American dream of "working hard" to get to where we are now, but how
many people are truly, genuinely happy where they are, right now? We are always told that in order to be HAPPY, we should pursue our passion. However, it's through the actions above that we seek to find this "happiness", NOT through pursuing our passion.
Maybe you're still working hard studying to get a job where you can get your foot in the door. Have you ever wondered where this door will be? Will it be somewhere that pays you well, that offers good insurance and benefits, or is what your family wants for you, what you want for yourself? Maybe you have just gotten your foot in the door somewhere, and are currently happy to have a good job, and I am happy for you. Even if you have been at your job for years now, I encourage you to constantly communicate with yourself and ponder," Is this something I have a passion for?", or "Is this something I can feel my passion in?"
What is passion? Some might compare it to love, something that always makes you feel good, that you can rarely, if ever, tire of. How do you know if you're pursuing it? I'm thinking to myself, "Can I only be pursuing my passion if I have a career directly related to my passion?" For example, I am a Conservation and Environmental Science Student, does this mean I can only have a career working on conservation projects to truly feel happy? Now, I love working on conservation and restoration projects hands on. The wilderness is incredible, the growth of the plants and the resilience they have developed in this cold Wisconsin climate astounds me on all levels continually, but does that mean I can make a HAPPY and PASSIONATE career out of this?
I found most helpful a job interview question I had a few months back. I worked the previous summer outdoors doing prairie management, and was applying for an membership specialist position (I have an office background too). I was asked "So, I see you have worked outdoors and hands on with nature, do you think you will be able to find happiness working indoors behind a desk?" WOAH. I had prepped several word documents with my answers for typical phone interview questions, but this question came jam packed hurling at me a million miles an hour with a ball of flame attached to it. I had no time to prepare, so I gulped and bellowed out my gut response. "Yes, absolutely." Here's why.
I was applying for a Nature Preserve membership position. I realized, as I began talking through my answer out loud to her, that not only was my answer impressively organized for being so unexpected, but it was impressively organized because it was true. I told her that my passion was working towards a greater good. The greater good, to me, is something that is above and beyond our human goodness capabilities. Nature provides us with free services (air and water filtration, ozone protection, etc), and these things are the greater good. Our forests absorb CO2, our prairies provide homes for amazing flora and fauna, wetlands filtering out toxins from the surrounding environment. The wilderness is our greater good. When I am at a job, I look at what I am doing, and ask myself, "Can I see my work directly affecting the greater good?" If I cannot, I know that even though I may be temporarily happy, I will ultimately fall short.
We spend most of our lives working, and mostly eight or more hours a day
or more at our jobs. We deserve to be truly happy, and we deserve to be
able to pursue our passions. Happiness cannot be given, it can only be
worked towards. Don't give yourself the short end of the stick and stop
pursuing your happiness. Dream your dreams, pursue whatever it is you
feel passion towards. Don't let the doubts bog you down!
In my life, both work and home, I want happiness to reign. I want to be a great wife to my husband (someday) and I want to be a great sister, a daughter, and sister-in-law. I want my happiness to bloom from within, and shower on those who surround me. What is our quality of life if we are not pursuing our passions, the things we love and hold most dearly to our heart? 
Very well written, Kayla! I agree, there is so much pressure to work work work these days, even if it's a job you hate. Even if you eventually get to where you want to be, was it worth it?
ReplyDeleteHappiness takes work sometimes, too, but the end results are always worth it :)