Saturday, November 5, 2011

at the heart of it

I like to believe that most of what we do in this world starts out with good intentions...and starts out being aligned with our hearts. But life has this way of running away with you. I took a job three years ago becaused I loved my dog and my cat. Which sounds like an odd reason to take a job....but at the most basic level it really is why I chose to work in the pet industry. And it has been the best decision that I have ever made.





Fast forward three years and I find myself in a more senior role in the same company...in a role where corporate dynamics are harder at play...things like office politics have become more relevant and my day to day work feels more connected to business bottom lines than to pet owners. I was starting to wonder if I had fallen back into the same trap of being more concerned about advancing and climbing the corporate ladder rather than simply engaging in work that I was passionate about. Was I making the same bad choices all over again? And then a cowork said something this week that made me see it differently.





I was venting to this coworker about a meeting I had been at earlier in the day and was visibly frustrated. And she said to me: "Go home and walk Sophie and remember why you love what you do." And I realized she was right...the reason I loved this job and this industry was still there...still relevant. It wasn't the fact that my role at this company had changed...it was more about me. I needed to remember why I chose this job, this company in the first place...and it was never about the day to day tasks, titles or advancement. It was about my passion for pets. At the heart of that decision was my love for Sophie and Elora. And if I remember that, then it doesn't matter what my day to day to work involves....those are just tasks....that love is still at the heart of it. And I believe that if love is at the heart of what you do...at work, on the weekends, whenever...then you are making good choices...you are living an authentic life. Even if things have changed from where they started, if you remember what's at the heart of it, you'll remember why it was the right choice for you. At the heart of my choice, I found a dog and a cat....and a love that I will have forever.

9 comments:

Hilary said...

I think I would still find it difficult to find myself in a different area of work from what I loved but I hear what you're saying. If the end result is the same, and you're driven by love and passion, then what does matter which task you're doing? I'm glad you were able to get that straight for yourself.

Love the photos of your babies. That Elora sure is a beauty. And due to the angle, Sophie looks like a puppy in that shot. Please give them both a scratch on the head for me. :)

Carolynn Anctil said...

Very nice. I'm in transition and I'm not sure what I'll be doing for employment next. Right now though, it's about getting myself and my husband back from the brink of burnout and taking care of ourselves and our little family of two furbabies (three if you count our 'new' feral kitty outside).

BTW, that photo of Elora is absolutely stunning. She's a supermodel. *smile*

Holly said...

Love this pic of Elora! So pretty. ♥

T said...

You always have such a wonderful way with words. We all can learn from this, if we all take time to step back and remember why we choose what we choose.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Hi Andrea! Happy Thanksgiving next week! Sophie and Elora look wonderful!! I enjoyed your blog post..some days we all need reminders about what is important and what is just fluff:)

Andrea said...

You're absolutely right Andrea. But it IS hard to do unless we have a reminder every now and then. And thanks for that. I really missed my fellow bloggers over the past months, so I'm back. I decided to move and re-name my blog, but I couldn't take my followers with me, so if you wanted to follow me again, it's "Are we there yet?" I'm really glad to be back.

Jan said...

Hey Andrea! Just stopped by to say hello and catch up a bit. I'm still around. Life has also changed for me. 2011 was a real adventure. Glad you and your animal friends are ok. Hope to return to blogging soon.

ShanaM said...

Great post!!

Susan said...

Love reading your blog...