I feel like I should have written this post on Independence Day. But I just came across a terrific article in Peter Weddle’s newsletter about the importance of pursuing our dreams – especially during a tough hiring market. I love what Peter has to say about happiness:
“Recent research indicates that happiness is a cognitive, not an emotional state. It occurs when we overcome a challenge we view as meaningful and worthy. In other words, we are tested in a way that produces our best efforts, that stretches us to perform at our peak and even beyond that point, beyond our own expectations of what we can do. And, the only place such challenges routinely occur is at work. ”
My feelings exactly. So much of how we feel about ourselves and our lives relates to our careers. We owe it to ourselves (and to our loved ones) to find that Happiness and let it carry over to the rest of our lives, rather than letting disappointment or unhappiness or frustration at work extend to our home lives.
So go ahead – pursue your own Happiness. It’s the American way!