Work History Is Personal History

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Many of us spend a great deal of our lives working. Perhaps it makes up the majority of your life.  Our work history is very much a part of our personal history.

Work is a fact of life. At least if you need to create income to pay for necessities. You know, like food and shelter.

First Jobs

My first jobs as a young teenager were things like a paper route, tossing rolled up newspapers from my bike as I pedaled through the neighborhood, mowing lawns with my brother, or working at fast food restaurants.

In college I had to find work to help pay for tuition and a place to live. Some of those jobs were not enjoyable, but I kept at it, even when I hated it.

Work is a four-letter word, but it doesn’t need to have the (ahem) negative connotation of other four-letter words.

Do What You Love

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You have probably heard that the best jobs are the ones where you do what you love. In my opinion this is absolutely true. 

The only thing that might temper this is if you work in a job where you get to do what you love, but the workplace is not healthy. Nobody enjoys a toxic work environment. I have experienced this. When it happens you have to figure out whether it is worth it to hang around.

Do Your Best

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Sometimes a change will happen that improves the workplace. That change can be you. I have found that the best thing to do is always do your best. And if you need to move on then move on.

I discovered a big work love when I started volunteering at the college radio station. The radio bug bit me so hard that I wanted to change my major, but my counselor told me to stick with the psychology degree as I was already two years into it. Just add some communication classes, I was told. I did and then after graduating I eventually got a gig as an overnight DJ at a rock station and I spent the next thirty some years in the business. 

This was a terrific time in my life. Playing music and telling stories on the air, interviewing rock stars, going to concerts and getting lots of free albums, cassettes and CDs. Over time I worked my way up into management and that had its ups and downs. The psychology bachelor’s degree did help me at times, like when dealing with difficult personalities. All things considered it was still mostly good. Those of us in the business would all pretty much agree that we didn’t want to lose a radio gig or we’d have to find a real job!

Of course, sometimes job losses happen. Getting fired is never fun. And if you have been in the workforce long there is a good chance you’ve had that experience. 

One Door Closes and Another Door Opens

I have had many jobs in my life and more than one career change. One of the toughest times in my life was when my radio gig was eliminated in the 2008 recession and I spent the better part of a year looking for work, doing freelance writing, and eventually going back to school to get certified as a teacher.

This turned out to be an incredible learning experience for me and, I believe, for the students I taught over a dozen years. Keeping a sense of wonder, humor and curiosity is a great way to teach and learn.

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Labor Comes In Many Forms

There are many ways to work and lots of jobs that need to be done. Labor comes in many forms. Workers who build things, workers who serve us, workers who teach us, workers who heal us, and even workers who entertain us. And certainly we must acknowledge one of the greatest jobs any of us will ever have, to raise children and provide a safe and nurturing environment for them.

I consider myself a writer. Is it a job? It can be. I consider it an avocation and more. It is a passion. Yes, it is hard to do. Yet I come back to writing time and again. The articles on this website, the collaborations with clients, life story projects, and journaling are all examples of the writing I do. I write simply because I must.

Review your work history. Recognize that it is part of your personal history. It can be fertile ground for your life story.

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