Labor Day vs. Work As Play
A short rant on an outdated 130-year-old holiday
Isn’t it ironic?
We celebrate all of the advancements in the workplace—better treatment, better pay, safer environments—by giving everyone the day off from work?
If work is so much better than 130 years ago when Labor Day first began, why do we still scrimp, save, and sacrifice for one measly day off?
Are we celebrating how great work is or freedom from the very thing that we’re supposed to be enjoying now more than ever?
In America—and in many other countries that have adopted a “Western mentality”—we grind and grind and grind ourselves down until there’s nothing left…grasping onto the hope that the next holiday, the next vacation, or the next long weekend will make it all worth it.
Wouldn’t it be more appropriate after all this time—AND all these advancements in technology and communication—to celebrate the fact that we LOVE work and it feels more like play than ever?
In 1894, even the radio was not an everyday luxury. Today we have radios, TVs, telephones, fax machines, automobiles, airplanes, personal computers, the internet, smartphones, bluetooth, video conferencing, and artificial intelligence.
Naturally, we must be enjoying a situation today that would have been viewed as pure paradise to an abused worker in the late 19th century, right?
There’s no way we still work 40-hour workweeks, still suffer from work-related illnesses, injuries, and burnout, or still feel stifled by the monotony of a rat-race existence.
Insert head shake here.
I’d argue that it’s worse than ever!
But not because it has to be…because we allow it to be.
I work with top leaders in Corporate America who regularly report working 40-50 or even 60+ hours a week. They travel everywhere but never see anything. They have every reason to feel freedom and joy yet feel more bounded, burdened, and bored than ever.
Yet it’s up to these very leaders to do what leaders must do: lead by example. They must set a new standard in work-life balance, and a new definition of what “work” is.
The only place to begin is within.
Because it’s OUR PERSONAL DUTY to be joyful. The biggest burdens on society are the downtrodden—and it’s the rare person who is miserable at work yet joyful in their life.
Wake up from the dream; question your reality—including your traditions and institutions—and take back control of your life.
No one else can or will do it for you.
So here’s to a new Labor Day my friends—or shall I say “Labor Days”—when we celebrate the gift of being able to work, the gift of expressing ourselves in the unique way that aligns with our soul’s purpose, and the gift of adding immense value to this world…
Which all culminate into the gift of feeling like work is play.
True success is something you bring to life, not something you get from it. And the most successful people LOVE TO WORK. They don’t count on 3-day weekends or 4-day workweeks to bring them joy. They are joyful FIRST and then bring that joy to everything they touch.
Hoping for a better tomorrow only brings more hope, not a better tomorrow. Deep down you know this to be true: Tomorrow never comes.
So enjoy the picnics, parades, and barbecues today, but if you’re dreading going back to work tomorrow…please take that as a very clear sign.
And if you actually want to make a change, simply do this:
Get real quiet.
Discover what lights you up while also adding value to the world.
Do it.
This is really the meaning of what your work is in this lifetime. And the time to begin is right here and now.
Perhaps that’s the real reason you have off today, so use your time well.
On the day I die,
I know that I’ll say,
I danced through this life,
And my work was play.
Until next time, enjoy the journey.
-Mike
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Who else in your life could enjoy these words? Share this and let’s unwind our minds together!
Stories of Being BOLD
A few months ago, I had the privilege of being a guest on Mari Harries’ podcast. As she puts it, “It's packed with wisdom and advice for anyone wanting to just enjoy the sh!t out of life.”
New Poetry
Which one is your favorite? Leave a comment!
My Own Light
My light sees the light in you…
but first must see the light in me.This Gift
lay in the fields
climb up the hills
stare at the clouds
smell daffodils
swim in the sea
smile at some birds
take it all in
no need for words
take a deep breath
don’t just survive
simply feel thanks
this gift - you’re alive!
Smell The Flowers Now
The memory of the fragrance,
Falls short of the actual scent.
So stop and smell the flowers now,
And time will be always well spent.
Do you find value in these words?
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I appreciate you 🙏
Enjoy the journey!
Mike