Seeking Fulfillment
Why do we work?
Why do we choose to do the work that we do?
Hi Reader ,
I now have less than one month before I board a plane and head back to Detroit. In my mind that will mark the end of my sabbatical time and usher in the start of my I'm-unemployed-and-need-a-job time.
On the surface, it seems pretty obvious why I'll be going back to work. Once I'm home, like you, I want to be able to afford things like groceries, car insurance, and occasionally, dinner at my favorite Japanese restaurant.
At the same time, these months away have given me a new appreciation for the ways in which work - defined here as "things you do professionally for money and/or personally for fulfillment" - can actually be a gift.
Work is a chance to...
build new skills
expand your understanding
manage your mindset as you navigate to do lists, deadlines, conflict, etc.
practice empathy and other values in relationship with others
When I go back to (paid) work, I hope I will remember to view it as more of a gift than a burden. Even on the days when my brain offers me thoughts like, "I don't feel like it", "If only I had a trust fund to live on...", or "What's the point?" (which is bound to happen at some point, no matter what job I land in!), may I remember that I can choose to seek and find fulfillment in my work.
What about you: where/how are you seeking and finding fulfillment in your work these days?
That's me for now.
Be well,
Janai
NEW EPISODE
In episode 23, I welcome you back to the classroom to explore questions which led me to take myself back to "Do Gooder School" in the first place:
"Do I want to go back into the nonprofit/social impact space for the next step in my career post-sabbatical?"
“Do I need to be a professional do gooder to feel like I'm making an impact in the world?”
"If I decide to go back into the social impact space, how can I do it in a way in which I maintain a sense of joy in the work and avoid burnout?"
I’m fortunate that this time around I get the chance to reflect on these questions through a conversation with my dear friend, Kyla Carlsen.
Today she serves as the Interim Executive Director (ED) of the nonprofit organization Co.act Detroit (*when the current ED isn't away on sabbatical, she serves as Senior Director of Program Strategy & Innovation). However, the journey that led her from a career in corporate banking and private wealth management to leading an organization in the social impact space was unconventional, to say the least!
Kyla's winding career path has led to her navigating different spaces – corporate, government, and nonprofit. This gives her a unique perspective that led to rich reflections on the questions listed above.
Beyond her day job, Kyla's passion for equitable economic development, raising funds for good causes, connecting with people, and nurturing her own creativity leads her to all kinds of endeavors and adventures. You can keep up with her on IG @kylasc and on LinkedIN.
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Janai Gilmore
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