Working to Live


Returning Ramblers are by now well aware of the fact that I have recently moved. What they may not be aware of is that this move has involved a lot of puzzled faces from those around me. See, I moved from an apartment that was a short twelve minute walk to work, to one that is anywhere between a forty to sixty minute commute. Again and again, I have found myself explaining to people that the commute doesn't bother me because I'm in a much happier and healthier environment. Reluctantly, they would accept my explanation wanting to show support for my happiness. I was content to repeat my explanations in this way, further explaining that I am also much closer to family, friends, and weekly family gatherings. Until this week, when a long conversation with a nice cab driver caused me to further explore my reasoning for being happy with this move. Something clicked.

In making this move I had shifted from living to work, to working to live.

Don't get me wrong, I love my job (specifically because the people I work with are amazing) but that's not all there is to life.

Yes, I had been closer to work but I had been further from the things that made me happy. I had a shorter commute to work every day, but no desire to make the commute to go see the ones I loved. I was missing out on time spent with friends and family at brunches, dinners, and game nights because I didn't want to have to worry about commuting back in time to get enough rest for the next day of work. Now, I know the commute to and from work is going to happen anyway (and a lot more pleasantly with great conversation from my new next door neighbour who I am able to carpool with every morning), but I no longer have to sacrifice seeing the people that make me happy.

Think about it.

How much of our lives revolve around work? We already spend our days there, should our non-working ours be devoted to it too? Yes I have to tack on travel time now, but the motivation is now there to do other things. To be happy instead of just vegging in front of the television and avoiding going anywhere. Quite frankly, I was never a city girl anyway, so it just makes that much more sense for me to move back to my small town where I am already involved in the community again even though I've only been back for two weeks. I've already re-connected with a dozen amazing people I haven't really talked to in years, all of whom are like-minded small-town people who love to get to know each other rather than merely biding their time until they can get away and get back to whatever it was they were doing before we ran into each other. Small-town life is amazing that way, and it's exactly what I needed to be reminded of to re-discover my joy of living in my day to day activities rather than just on special occasions and when I go on trips.

So how about it Ramblers, are you living to work or working to live?

How many of your life's decisions revolve around work rather than around the things that make you happy?

What changes can you make to ensure that you are making the most of the life you have right now instead of working your days away hoping something will change all by itself in the future?

I wish you all an amazing and happy day wherever you are, you deserve to enjoy it.
Cheers!
The Bra Street Rambler

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