So sorry I missed my Wednesday post promise! I have been absolutely exhausted lately, probably because I’ve finally come down from my tremendous high after attending Ann Hood’s Jumpstart your Novel weekend.

So I’m thinking a lot about A Girl from the Hill and how cool it will be when it’s finally published. And I’m thinking about Fat School, my new novel that I’ve just started. It’s overwhelming, even though it’s exactly what I want to do with myself, and with my life.

I also have a day job that is very busy, full of stress and interaction and forward movement. It’s not a writing job, although I do a lot of writing all day. Not the kind I like, but it’s helped shape the way I think, the way I interact with others, the way I want to be perceived. Mostly for the better.

Everyone wants to quit their day job, don’t they? Well almost everyone. Some people have jobs that they love, doing what they love. Some even make money at it. Everyone else either wants to hit Powerball and never show up to their day job again, or they want to find that perfect place. The place where their work is appreciated every day. The place where everyone values them for who they are and what they offer. The place where valuable, important contributions are made every day.

These people often end up disappointed. There is no such place.

Everyone must find his or her own place. No, not start his own business per se, but find that place inside him. There are no exceptions.

Do you value yourself? Do you look for solutions instead of problems? Do you respect yourself and others? You make your own happiness in this world- and probably in those other worlds too.
If you give it your all with a positive attitude, everything from shoveling shit to wiping down tables to working a cash register can be just as valuable, inspiring and important as all those dream jobs out there, wherever they are.
Work is work. It’s effort, its exertion, it’s something you must provide to and be accountable for. So no matter what it is, be proud of it. My father often told me that there is no shame in honest work.
So don’t blame your boss (especially if I’m your boss), the company you work for, the equipment, the customers, your colleagues. It’s a bit cliché but if you’re not part of the solution you’re part of the problem.
And if you really really hate your job, hate the people, hate the environment, and give it your all every day and still feel dissatisfied, maybe you need to look within and figure out where you belong.
With all that said, I have days when I hate my job, hate all aspects of it. But there are a lot of good people, good work and important accomplishments to be gained there as well. Not only does it feed my family and keep my daughter in basketball sneakers, it provides me with a structured place to go every day. And I need that. I appreciate that. A lot. And when the good things happen- we all work together to solve a problem, I help someone find what they’re looking for, I help my team, my customers, my company move forward in my own small way, it cannot be a bad thing.

After all, happiness is the path, not the destination.

Related articles

• The Black Hole (tropicaltheartist.wordpress.com)
• Don’t Quit Your Day Job (gnosticbent.wordpress.com)
• A young person’s guide to quitting your day job (arbor.posterous.com)
• Thinking About Quitting Your Job? Think Again (money.usnews.com)
• 7 Secrets About Life and Career From “Office Space” (wisebread.com)