So many students said this to me when they heard I was heading out of town for 2+ weeks for 5 days hosting a retreat and then the rest of the time for myself.
It was such a genuine and overwhelming response from so many different individuals that I actually started to believe it. Huh? Why did it take someone else several different times telling me I deserved some time off for me to stop feeling guilty? Why was it so difficult for me to actually believe that I can do just that?
Although a strong work ethic can be one of the most influential and effective ways of becoming successful in your professional career, it can also be a slippery slope of not knowing when to turn it off and enjoy your life separately from working.
Our society puts so much focus on what we do as a key element to our identity. So many of us, including myself can get lost in the journey of who am I without work? What is truly important and how do I define myself outside of “office hours”?
It’s wild to think this because in many other countries, work is the last priority and people certainly don’t talk about it or define themselves and others as we, Americans do. Yes, we are believed to be the land of opportunities and I don’t discount the profitable resources we have right at our fingertips here. BUT at what cost does all of that come at?
Just as I discovered recently, I LOVE my job BUT it does not define me AND I am so much more than a job title or a paycheck. We all deserve time off to enjoy all the pleasures of what this life has to offer. I hope you take time for you to do whatever makes you happy wherever you are. YOU DESERVE IT!
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