You all know how much I love the dictionary, so it should come as no surprise to hear that today I found myself in the Merriam Webster app on my phone looking for the definition of labor.
This came after having a mini-meltdown and then quickly locking in a realization and anchoring-a-new-belief/lesson replacement about the means and meaning of working and earning.
Today is one day after the American Labor Day holiday to celebrate the modern labor movement, and one day before I start a new job in a special education area of a local public school. The actual role will be new to me, but I was alive with anticipation and looking forward to becoming part of the campus community tomorrow morning–until I wasn’t!
Trust that your smallest contribution is meaningful beyond measure and get out there and labor with a smile on your face!
~ any job ever
In a flash it hit me that I will be a ‘laborer’ again. The word labor played over and over in my head; labor, laboring, labored, laborer, all with a strong negative undertone. An unwanted identity.
I was hit with the “timeclock” aspects of the job and flashes of ridiculous details over which I had no control and that really hold no bearing on whether or not I will thrive in the position:
- Where will I sit for my designated 30-minute lunch?
- Dress code, can I show my tattoos? (Long sleeves and closed-toe shoes are not good with hot flashes!)
- How welcoming, open and friendly will my new charge be?
- Will I have a desk or home base, a locker or cubby? A laptop?
- Should I bring a small backpack or strap on a granny-fanny pack?
- Can I use my handheld fan when needed? (It’s a bit loud on high.)
- How will I effectively communicate with the non-verbal student?
- Is there any training on how to track student data, or will it be full-OTJ training with many things left to be learned by trial and error?
If you read my Doubt post, you may recall it closed with a feeling of resolve, or that becoming an employee again was some kind of settling, especially without first jumping “all-in” with both feet to solopreneurship. At least that’s how I felt when writing it.
I only spiraled for a few rounds before laughing out loud to myself (and the dog at my feet), embracing the new role and my place as a valuable cog in a bigger wheel that needs me to function at optimum capacity in this moment of time!
It’s not taking away anything from my strong desire to promote the word, write my experiences about living after loss, and continue welcoming folks to the club that nobody wants to join! Lossent.org
It’s not taking away from my gift and ability to positively impact people’s lives through their homes when contract clutter clearing jobs come through iamthatfriend.com
Things shifted for me in an instant from “oh no, what if?!” to truly seeing the avenue of expression and exposure (giving and receiving) that each new job allows. I am the one who must allow it, whatever it is and however it comes.
- Opportunities.
- Perspectives.
- Friends.
- Ideas.
This brings me to the accurate, or appropriate, definition of labor which I began looking for. Of course we are all familiar with the labor of childbirth, I’m not talking about that.
Beyond the basic nouns of expending physical or mental effort, or an exchange of service for wages, there are the basic verbs defining labor: moving with great effort, or exerting power with accompanying pain. I refer to the intransitive verb defining suffering from some distress or disadvantage.
All synonyms to labor (drudgery, toil, grind, etc.) also refer to exhausting, dull, sufferable activity. It’s no surprise, then, that young workers nowadays have a skewed vision of work, or career direction, and what their contribution anywhere has the potential of being.
It’s high time that we stop referring to the thing that the majority of adults do every day, every week, year-after-year, as laborious, exhausting, and strenuous–we are perpetuating an outdated concept and sucking the joy out of living in mainstream society.
It’s a small percentage of the population that has uber-flexible time freedom, multiple fulfilling relationships, and endless months and years of personal-finanacial ease and flow in life.
Yes, sometimes we have to take a shit job to pay the bills, or stay in a job we love that pays pennies but, aside from the dollar-centric songs of economics or politics playing in the background, the seemingly elusive trick is to show up intentionally, be authentic in your interactions, and have fun regardless of the situation! There’s a strong element of faith, I’m discovering, that money will follow and at least basic needs will be met.
It’s a wonderful feeling to be present without feeling we should be somewhere else doing something else with someone else.
When we look at a job (or any exchange of labor-goods) through a personal-sociological lens seeking the highest good for all, the work takes on a joyful, purposeful vibe. Seeing every interaction as an arena in which to use whatever skills we already have opens the possibility for us to learn even more.
Trust that your smallest contribution is meaningful beyond measure and get out there and labor with a smile on your face!