Labor Day marks a time of new beginnings. All great reasons to celebrate!
The Labor Day holiday pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers.
Labor Day weekend pays reverence to families and friends being together away from the daily grind.
In Arizona, Labor Day marks the slow change in temperature that welcomes the fall.
Labor Day seems to come more quickly each year. This year was no exception. In the blink of an eye it was here, then gone; and now I’m already starting to consider what Halloween costume my dog might wear this year.
I don’t know where the time goes, but what I do know is that I’m here staring down another month gone on the calendar; and stepping one day closer to Christmas!
With so many holidays to look forward to in a calendar year, I haven’t often put much thought into the meaning behind Labor Day. I know it began from a huge labor movement in the 1800’s and that we get a long weekend once a year to eat barbecue and drink beer. But what homage do we owe to our ‘laboring’?
We all labor differently, the question is…Labor for what?
I come from an extraordinarily hard-working family. But, I think everyone would agree, that most American families work hard to make ends meet, and count on every paycheck to live out their own American dream. We all work hard, and deserve a Monday off in honor of our ‘labor.’
But when was the last time you spent Labor Day reflecting on ‘why’ you work?
Labor requires effort, both mentally and physically.
Labor involves exertion of energy, by body, mind, machine or of natural forces.
Labor produces something.
Businesses emphasize the ‘why’ in the workplace, to strengthen cultures, foster resilience and improve work ethic. So, what is the ‘why’ of your work? For the lucky Americans who love their jobs, the ‘why’ is easy. When you can say, you love your work, a daily pursuit of these seems easy. But to every laborer, no matter what the status or task of your work:
What do you pursue, in honor of your labor?
A labor of love is work done for interest in the work itself rather than for payment.
There are millions of Americans out there, giving of themselves to do amazing work, by living their ‘why.’ I am inspired by these change champions. They challenge everyone to do more than just put in the time, and take the paycheck.
Recently, I’ve encountered some incredibly inspiring people who have reminded me what it means to labor in love.
I recently met Bryce Cleveland on the radio show Money Marketing Mindset. Bryce is the creator of Scalp Aesthetics, and he developed a micropigmentation procedure for those suffering with hair loss. He lived his ‘why’ by seeking out kids with cancer from all over the country and freely giving this procedure to re-instill confidence and hope for children who were suffering. That’s a labor of love.
I met Alisa Glutz in the process of illustrating her book, Color My Credit. Alisa is passionate about helping individuals rebound from bad credit that stems from life events. She lives her ‘why’ by giving of her time and services to transform the lives of women and men drowning in the despair of bad credit, and helps them make a fresh start and live the lives they’ve imagined. Another labor of love.
Do what you love. Love what you do. Do this, and you’ll never work a day in your life.
Perhaps there is more to this Labor Day than I once thought. If time flies the way we know it will, the next Labor Day will be here in a flash.