07Oct

S/he Works Hard for the Money—The Personal Side

If you are reading this, maybe you are old enough to recognize the song from which I took the title to this blog. One of my first mental health jobs after receiving my graduate degree awarded low pay paired with an incredible amount of work and specifically paperwork. We would play the song “She Works Hard for the Money” half-jokingly and half realistically while working late in the office and completing mountains of paperwork. We really did “work hard for the money”.

Thankfully my first job which required a lot of hard work for little pay was not surprising to me. I had learned very early in life what “hard work” meant. Growing up, I was not wealthy. My parents were blue-collar workers. I watched both of my parents work long hours at very manual jobs to provide what I needed. They never complained and never shied away from “getting their hands dirty.” My parents’ work ethic has been one of their most valuable gifts to me.

I realize that not everyone is given this gift. For a variety of reasons, not everyone grows up learning what hard work is all about. And our culture and lifestyle here in America over the past 20-30 years as described in the practical blog on this topic has done little to highlight the value and importance of working hard to achieve our goals.

We are so accustomed to getting things instantly, it can be easy for us to lose hope or become frustrated when much is required of us. I believe that if something takes a long time to achieve you will find out pretty quickly how much you really want it. You will promptly see just what you are willing (or are not willing) to sacrifice to obtain your dream. I am not saying that everything that is hard in life is worth the effort, but many of the most beautiful things are. Think about earning a degree, moving across the country to take a job, getting married/staying married, buying a home or having a baby. All of these require time, treasure (money) and talent (your skills as well as your emotional fortitude). And all of these things can be extremely challenging. However, these experiences are some of the most fulfilling and beautiful we experience here on earth.

Are you on a journey in which you are struggling to press on? Are you having trouble finding meaning in the day-to-day as you work towards your larger life goals? Do you feel your worth ethic is all it could be, or are you hampered by stress, anxiety, hopelessness or burnout? If you are feeling overwhelmed in trying to obtain your goals, an Orlando Licensed Mental Health Counselor can help get you back on track. She can help you tweak your goals and your lifestyle habits and choices so that you learn and implement ways to enjoy each step of your specific life journey. Please contact Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable and experienced mental health counselors.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yolanda Brailey