Work is a 4 letter word??

The truth is work is earning for our living. Without working, we will be out of job and means no earning. Right now we are working in this site by responding to discussion and mylot pays us for our responses. You are right that work is not just 4 letter word. Work reflects who we are. In reflects our characters, our attitude, our personalities and our rapport. Normally, we will get promoted because of the 4 things I've listed down.

There is nothing as lovely as being able to earn money as you do the thing you love doing, or being paid when you are having fun because you love your job. As we enjoy every moment of our job, there is a part in us that somehow get attached to that routine- that's when work becomes an integral part of our life. In working, we learn and we experience life as it is. And Yes you are right, work is a word that describes a way of life. =0

Whether I have to support myself or not, if I have some duties to fulfill--this can range from mundane tasks like cleaning up the kitchen, washing vessels, grinding rice batter for breakfast [it can still be in a grinder], I call it work. Now, if I have plans of lying down and relaxing this can be postponed. But piling up certain mundane daily duties cannot be postponed. This has to be called work. Now, when it comes to doing something that you love which incidentally becomes the source of your upkeep, once again I would still call it work without feeling bad about it. Work is work whether I do it out of love or duty.--for the one reason that I do my duty with love. So 'work' according to me is not 'drudgery'. Only 'drudgery' is an undesirable term and work with deadlines imposed by a boss has different connotations than deadlines or internal targets set within oneself. Except for recreation and whiling away the time all other-ALL- tasks come under the category of’ work' for me. So there is the answer-I would still call it work but would say that it is work that I really love and enjoy. but while I am writing this response to you a picture unfolds in front of me where I always used to hesitate if someone asked me’ do you work/? This question clearly refers to employment and so I could not say ‘yes’ straightaway. But I have a very busy schedule. Pat used to be my reply--‘I am self employed’ and I have a busy schedule. What else can we call it? On the other hand if I keep painting to just while away the time then I do not call it work. It would be a hobby. Perhaps we can modify the term and make it a phrase--'‘a paying loveable hobby.”

Glad to have you post a discussion like this because this is something I discuss with clients and have given consideration to myself. I recall reading a quotation from Dr. Robert Anthony that eloquently states how I feel. "If you love what you do you will never 'work' another day in your life." His view of it fits for me and I do differentiate what I love to do. For some gardening is hard 'work' but it doesn't feel like work because of the creative satisfaction I derive from it. At this point in my journey my career path is not separate from our personal life because my partner and I operate our businesses from home. However...what we do still does not feel like 'work.' I recall the times I was employed by someone else in jobs that were not creatively satisfying...that was work to me. Cleaning the cat boxes feels like work because it is a smelly, dusty job...and that is work to me. When what you said..."what is to me a whole life experience that was filled with satisfaction, sharing, moments of joy, moments of pain, laughter." That kind of thing is not work for me either. What I do for a living now has moments of pain, joy, laughter and satisfaction...but it is still not 'work' because I love what I do. So what would I call it instead of work...hmmmmm 'livelihood...calling...mission...profession..pursuit...create.' None of those words come into play in other jobs that I have 'worked' at. What I do now is so far removed from the drudgery, power struggles, petty mind games, and ego-tripping that was part of my old 'work' experiences. I understand and accept that from what has been very well stated in your discussion that for many out there good 'work ethics' are very dear to their hearts and I honor that. Perhaps we are just getting hung up on semantics and are basically talking about the same thing in some areas. However my associations with the grinding dullness of some of my former employment was definitely a different 'work' experience that what I am doing now. For that reason I have distinct and separate associations about 'work.' However...it is just my 'perspective.' Raia