The Big Lift

How would you describe yourself at work, or how you used to be at work? Work is, of course, one of the major stressors of our lives. It causes us heartache, struggle, competitiveness, and many things other than peace. When we come home and walk through the door, there can be such a significant sigh of relief to just be done for a day, that we reveal to our souls just what we’ve been carrying for the last 9 or 10 or 12 hours. Standing inside our own space for a moment can seem like a weight has been removed. That’s what makes a recent study so interesting. For people who help others, people who recognize that their employment is, essentially, helping other people do well, they may not realize that their doing better themselves. It was found that people who are givers at work, tend to feel better when they get home, when they get ready for bed and when they lie down. They are prepared for rest. Some people go through their work day consumed with getting ahead of whoever is around them, or who is in another company in the same field. Some people simply try to slog through the tedium of employment that doesn’t seem to accomplish more than just putting a couple of pieces together… gears, food, papers. Some people find that their efforts aren’t appreciated by those for whom they are tasked with assisting, sometimes not even noticed. But, there are others who know that they are there to help and they continue to give and, according to the research that was done on this… those are the people who tend to be the most successful and, also, the happiest. Loving others, regardless of what occupation fills our hours, not only leads us into doing well and being well, but into Christ’s presence. Blessings, Geoff