People always say, “Find a job you love!” But is that really possible? I am sure there are plenty of artists out there who love to paint and wouldn’t want to do anything else. But even if you are truly skilled and enjoy practicing that skill, working is a whole other ballgame. Working involves pressure, expectation, money, deadlines, contracts, bosses, taxes, etc. How does the average person find a way to love what they do?

I believe the answer lies less in finding a new job and more in finding something within yourself, a sense of worth and fullfillment that only you can provide for yourself. If you count my first babysitting job then technically I have been working since I was 12 years old and I have held a good amount of jobs. Some were pretty cool, some just OK and some just down right stunk! It wasn’t the highest paying job I enjoyed the most, or the most prestigious either. The situations that were the most positive were the ones where I was able to bring different aspects of my personality to everyday tasks, worked with people who had a positive and mature attitude and was treated with respect. Doesn’t really sound like a lot to ask for but in my experience it is.

Most people I know have had a bad work experience. They weren’t appreciated, underpaid, worked with people who were nasty and negative, worked for a dishonest boss, or for a company that went bankrupt. I have heard more horror stories than pleasant stories when it comes to working.

At the end of the day it truly is your outlook that determines your experience. I know that I am sensitive to the point that other people’s moods can sometimes bring me down with them. So it takes extra effort to keep a positive outlook and shut out negative energy. We can control how we perceive each experience and what we want to take away from the situation when it is over. Sometimes when you are immersed in an environment you can get lost in it. You can get swallowed up by all the junk that is going on and forget how to dig yourself out. But in order to find some joy in what you do, you need to be able to hold on tight and ignore the swirling chaos. Cause the truth is, working is hard and every job is challenging in its own way. Maybe you always dreamed of being a prima ballerina. Well go find a real one and ask her about the trials of that life. Might not sound all peaches and cream. 

The trick is to create a joyful situation. To find a way to get through whatever your job is each day with the ability to leave it behind and start the next day with a fresh attitude. It is not easy to do, but I think that finding your own joy can make almost any job your best job.

When I was 16 I worked at a party supply store. I blew up balloon arrangements for parties all day long. Boring huh? Nope, not to me anyways. I never got tired of the colors, the sand bag weights, arranging them for table height or floor height. I still smile every time I see a balloon arrangement. There is something fabulous about balloons, something fun and free. And I will always remember the fun I had creating those arrangements and seeing those balloons being carried out of the store to who knows where, to bring a smile to a child’s face on their birthday, or to be used for prom photos. They had a life of their own, and I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of seeing balloons.

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