It’s July 1st today – Canada Day – and a national holiday where I live. It’s a day to celebrate our great country – glorious and free. And, for me, it’s a great day to just have fun.
And fun I had – went to the movies with some friends. I haven’t done that in a very long time. A few weeks ago, I was in South Carolina at a master mind meeting with my business coach and colleagues. One of the goals for me, for the next six months, is to have more fun. I have been working like a dog (and loving it!) these past 6 months and now it’s time to relax a bit – not stop – but incorporate a few different activities into my daily life. It was a grey and gloomy rainy day and that made it perfect for the movies.
Off we went – to see ‘The Heat’ with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock. I love Sandra Bullock and am a big fan of all of her movies. This one, I heard, was hilarious and I could use a few laughs. While the language was a bit raunchy (Melissa!!!!), the story line was really entertaining. I loved the fact that Sandra played a highly ambitious (can I relate??? Oh yes!) FBI agent working towards a promotion. She was doing all the right things but forgetting the human side of business along the way. I, too, have those moments and I know that many other women entrepreneurs have the same experience.
What I learned from this great comedy:
1) It’s ok to work hard – but make time to stop and recognize the people you work with along the way – you not only see them on your way up in the business, but you will also see them on the way down. So, make time to acknowledge them, their hard work and the fact that they have lives too.
2) It’s ok to have fun on the job. We take ourselves much too seriously (Sandra and I have a lot in common here) – I commit to continuing to take my work seriously, going forward, but not myself so much. Good lesson here.
3) It takes teamwork to accomplish great things. I’m pretty good at this already but it was fun to see the differences come out in the movie and how it’s important to be flexible and adapt, where and when necessary. There is NO ONE perfect right way. Another good lesson. (Sandra’s vocabulary towards the end did shift……….which endeared her to many.)
4) All that matters, in the end, is that we are people first – with feelings, with dreams, with families, with friends. Always remember what, and who, is most important.
As my beloved Mom said, in her final few years of living, ‘all that matters is who comes to visit you in your little room’ –and it’s not always those related to your work life.
Morale of the story today – Work Hard – Play Hard – Have fun along the way. Here’s to laughing more often!
When is the last time you had a really good belly laugh?
