Loving Every Minute
Jun 26th, 2008 by Lauri
Like many people I was a big fan of Tim Russert and since his untimely passing I’ve been reading as much as I can about him and his life. Every article has recounted what a great guy he was, even more wonderful than most of us knew.
I was also a loyal fan of the amazingly funny wordsmith, George Carlin, who died this week. While he and Russert were different in a number of ways, they also had a lot in common: Both died of heart disease, both had just celebrated their birthdays’ in May, both were raised Catholic, both were happily married and devoted fathers, and both were brilliant and at the top of their game. There was one other thing they shared: They were both tremendously passionate about their vocations - they loved what they did and each had the twinkle in his eye to prove it. What a delight for those of us who had the pleasure of watching and listening to them.
When I was younger I was not happy with the work I did. I never jumped out of bed in the morning, looking forward to what I had to do that day: work felt like drudgery. Yet, making the decision to change my career was terrifying. I kept thinking: What if I’m not really any good at my dream job? What if I can’t support myself? Looking back, it was one of the most difficult issues I have ever been confronted with.
We all have those “tapes” playing in our head when it comes to making a change. Change scares us. But we always wind up making a choice: we choose to do nothing or we choose to do something. Doing nothing is just as much of a choice as doing something, but the result is that nothing changes. The big difference between the two is that doing something might actually make us a lot happier. It takes courage and the realization that our life on earth is very short, so instead of procrastinating, we must get on with it.
Well, I took the leap and followed my heart and my passion and today I am blessed with work I love. And, trust me, I am not the brave type. I just chose not to accept the status quo.
So, if you are unhappy with your job or feel unfulfilled, I hope you will think about what it is that you love, and that you’ll take just one step towards making it the work you eventually get paid to do every day. Tim and George each lived their dream and so can you if you choose. Do it in their memory.
Hi Lauri:
Thanks for this post. It touched me and I wanted you to know.
I took the Use What You Have training last July in NYC and loved every minute of it. It was a blast… and I remember thinking throughout the week… “You mean people will PAY me to do this???” I was hooked. …And then life happened. I got home to CA after the training and started to feel queasy. I was pregnant! Fast forward a year and a month - I am the very proud mama of a baby girl who is now 5 months old. After she was born I took a maternity leave from my boring (but well paying) job and when it came time to go back I couldn’t do it. Then I got laid off at the end of June (hooray!) and decided I would get another job in September. So, July came and I started looking for jobs. I had a few interviews and I even got a job offer. And I turned it down. Something didn’t feel “right.”
Last weekend my husband and I went on our first date since our daughter’s birth. Over lunch he told me he was going to buy me a business license for my refining business as a birthday present… he wanted to know whether I would be upset. He didn’t want to push me, but he knew that this was what I wanted to do. Was I upset?Quite the contrary. My heart soared and a big smile crossed my face. This felt “right.” We both knew it was time to pick up where I left off last July. We spent the rest of our date planning my business and we had a blast.
I loved Tim Russert too and was so so sad to hear that he had died. Everytime life reminds me that we aren’t here for long I get a little pang in my chest, “Why haven’t I started to live my creative life yet? Why haven’t I started my own business?” Fear. Well, I’m putting the fear aside. Your post was insiring and I feel like life has been showing me inspiration all over the place, as if it is pushing me towards my destiny. If only I will listen! Life has showed me inspriation before, but I have taken the safe and boring road. Well, not anymore. I want to be proud of me and my life. I want my husband and daughter to be proud of me too. Last Sunday night I wrote on my mirror: Do. The. Work. Period. Yesterday, I paid my dues to become a member of the IRN, found your blog and signed up for the October Conference. I’m doing it this time. And so far I have never been happier.
Kim, Hello,
Thank you for sharing your inspiring story and congratulations on the birth of your daughter!
How wonderful that you are consciously choosing your path and living fully and happily, instead of passively.
It sounds as though you have a terrific, supportive husband and that your daughter will have an excellent role-model in you.
Congratulations, also, on becoming a member of the Interior Refiners Network. This will be a pivotal step in your career - I look forward to seeing you at this year’s IRN Conference. (Check out the “Mom’s Club” at the IRN Information Center.)