Imagine walking into your kitchen and seeing your refrigerator covered in the artwork of your life. I’m not talking about actual drawings or paintings (unless you happen to be an artist), but imagine snapshots of the things you’ve done so far in life displayed in symbolic form.
What would you find on your refrigerator?
What are you proud of?
If you are like most adults, you might choose accomplishments, important relationships, or major milestones. You might think of a goal surpassed, a love nurtured, or a dream realized. Basically, you’ll think of your successes.
But children honor their work in a different way. They are proud of any creation that is uniquely theirs. Children don’t need to be acclaimed an artist, win an award, or sell their artwork to validate that it is fabulous. They just know in their hearts that it is.
All of the things we do make up the work of our lives, and most of it will never produce fortune or public praise. Celebrate it anyway.
This week’s intention
In the “real world,” we learn to judge the value of our work by a narrow set of criteria—did it make money, did enough people notice it, is it something everyone seems to want.
But this week, our goal is to tap into our inner child and rekindle the joy and pride that comes from putting our God-given hand and heart prints all over something and deeming it glorious, no matter what.
My intention is to honor the work of my life.
This is not the week to critique your goals. This is not the week to celebrate the things everybody already knows you’ve accomplished. This is the week, to reflect on the many small, unrecognized, or so far unsuccessful things you have created and celebrate them. We honor our lives when we appreciate the totality of it—the seemingly successful moments and the equality beautiful times of practice, or even failure.
In the next few days, make time to journal about your ability to honor your work and thank God for the skills and talents that continue to serve you. Let your inner child celebrate your work with pride this week. You’ll spark greater creativity and tenacity if you do.
See you next week!
Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.
WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled
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