Before I write a new article for Kristin’s Wisdom, I have an idea of what I’d like to write, based on interactions with people I help every day. I also check Google Trends and other SEO tools to make sure that there are enough people interested in the subject, who could be helped by the article. When I typed “why are we here” into Google Trends, this is what I saw: Read more →
I have a friend who can’t keep a job. Ironically, he is also incredibly hard-working, conscientious, and pleasant. The problem is this: he is subconsciously rebelling against authority, and sometimes he is the authority in his life, so he is literally rebelling against himself. This causes severe problems for him, to the point where he won’t show up for work for weeks, and he becomes extremely depressed. He does not know how to be happy with himself.
You have a choice. You can live a life where you are frustrated, unfulfilled, restless, bored, and basically unsatisfied. Or you can live a life where you can’t wait to get to work every day, your mind is active and intrigued, you are proud of what you accomplish each day, and you know that when your life comes to an end you will die with a smile on your face.
Obviously, we all want the second option. And yes, what happens in your love life has a significant impact on your happiness. But we’re focusing on your work life here. Most people spend at least 40 – 50 years of their life working, and if your work isn’t satisfying, your life won’t be that fulfilling, either.
But it’s not easy making the right career choice, for a number of reasons. You might:
Have so many interests it’s hard to settle on just one
Have started work in one industry or type of job, and now feel stuck
Wish you could change careers but don’t know how to go about it
It is possible to live happily ever after, no matter who you are. You might scoff at this statement, for all kinds of reasons, but before you dismiss this concept out of hand, let me explain.
Of course you need to have a way of supporting yourself and your loved ones. That’s a given. And you have to be comfortable with who you are and how you go about living. That’s easier said than done, but it is definitely possible. It’s even possible to eliminate stress from your life completely. Yes, completely.
Here is how to live a magical life.
1. Be good and do good. I recently attended the funeral for a beloved aunt. One of her sons, when he got up to speak, said that his mother said this to him frequently as he was growing up: “Be good and to do good.” Sums it up nicely. When you work on being good and doing good, life repays you with good relationships and circumstances. Things work out better for you than for those who have no interest in being good or doing good.
2. Avoid those who are not being good nor doing good. In our teen years, this is particularly difficult, but it does pay off. Spending even a few hours with someone who is not being good or doing good means things can go entirely wrong—and can literally ruin your life.
On one hand, I have clients who run solid companies and treat their people and customers well. On the other hand, I have friends of all ages who are working at or trying to get jobs at companies that are . . . well, crazy. Nonsensical. Chaotic. It’s often the largest companies that get this way, and it’s too bad.
Why does this happen? How can you make sure you are going to be working at a company that does things right?
What does “doing things right” even look like? I would be surprised, in the course of your academic studies, that anyone ever talked about this. But it’s really important! After all, you are going to spend a large portion of your day working somewhere, for years to come, and if you’re constantly fighting against chaos, you’re not going to be a happy camper.
I sincerely believe that our working lives should be as satisfying and soul-enriching as they can be; there is nothing better than spending the bulk of your day doing what you love to do, with people who support your efforts whole-heartedly. Read more →
Well, it’s been a good long while since I was able to write an article here. Those who know me know that my life changed radically on August 16, 2021. My husband of 45 years, my best friend, my every day and every night companion, died. He took his own life, even though on that day, as all days, we were still in love.
As he said in the note he wrote to “the authorities,” after battling cancer for 16 years, his illness finally had him in a corner. Unable to walk from one room to another without being completely out of breath, unable to eat (we were feeding him through a tube), and using oxygen constantly, he knew that even if by some miracle the cancer went away, his lungs were too far gone. Read more →
“These are the times that try men’s souls.” – Thomas Paine
What is your dream? Where are you going? What do you want to accomplish before you leave this earth?
These are questions that you don’t ask yourself much as you navigate through your everyday life. But as you get older, and the time you have left gets shorter, you get more serious about it. Or, you just give up. Read more →