How To Leverage Gratitude To Adopt An “I Get To” Mindset

After months of seemingly never-ending work projects interwoven with the Covid-19 pandemic, I welcomed the extended Labor Day weekend with open arms. I took some much-needed downtime with the extra day off, spent time in nature with Mrs. Country Exec, relaxed, and took my old raggedy Jeep for a spin in the beautifully scenic part of Texas I am fortunate enough to call home. I began thinking about the life “I get to” have.

Within the confines of the short break I found myself reflecting on the holiday’s meaning and the overlying impact it has had on my life. Reflection generally leads to gratification for me. I purposefully try to remind myself of the positives that are so easily lost in the day to day grind. I came to the realization that I did not possess a strong understanding of the holiday, other than I had spent a large part of my life confusing it with Memorial Day and that it signified the unofficial end to the summer.

Labor Day

One of the many beautiful aspects of living today is the wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. A few taps on the keyboard led me to a website and the void in my personal knowledge was remedied. The US Department of Labors’ site formally defines the holiday as “a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well being of our country.” Fundamentally I understood the meaning behind the holiday. I was surprised the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in 1882. I believe the fact that the holiday has been around for 138 years speaks volumes to the role labor plays in the many facets of our lives.

When I contemplate labor, my personal viewpoint is that it was the catalyst for advancement in my life. My ability to provide a skill through value via quid pro quo labor employment is the essential reason I am afforded the life of my choosing today. The skill is/was technology. I signed eight years of my young adult life away to obtain the skill in trade. In retrospect it was the right decision as it pertained to my life and circumstances.

The Company Man

Out of pure coincidence my wife and I watched the 2010 movie “The Company Men” over the holiday weekend. The movie reiterated how intertwined we as a society are with our jobs. I’m not certain I agree with this mindset. I do believe our jobs play a prominent role in defining us as people in essence acknowledging at least partial truth of the matter. With respect to the notion, it is critical we view our professional realm from the standpoint of a positive lens.

Over the past quarter century devoted to working for the federal government, in corporate America, and now in Texas local government, I have come to embrace and appreciate my career and my role within the greater constructs of my organization. For many years my job was not much more than a job. A means to provide funding for the countless other things I had more interest in pursuing. Something about adulthood. Particularly meeting my wife and the impact she had on me some thirteen plus years ago. She has helped grow my perspective on my career journey.

Power of the Mind

My professional viewpoint has progressed to the point that for years now I have looked forward to going to work. To Monday mornings and what opportunities are in store for me and my organization. In recent years I have found myself thinking I get to wake up and go to work tomorrow. I get to spend time working on a particular project this week. I enjoy what I do to the point I view it as a joyful (mostly) obligation. And I take immense pride in the support of our citizenry. The work we have performed to become a leader in municipal technology within the great state of Texas.

At this point you may be thinking that it simply is not possible for you to get excited about Monday mornings. Or what you do professionally in a general sense. I beg to differ. The power of the mind is an extraordinary thing. As I alluded to initially, I too feel the day to day grind even though I love what I do. I get tired and feel stress sometimes. Particularly here lately with the wildly impactful radio upgrade/migration my organization has been pursuing. I referenced that project in a previous post here. When I feel myself leaning towards a negative mindset, I am quick to take a step back and reflect on the many positives in my life today that were earned through the professional hurdles overcome in years past.

Positivity and Self Awareness

Adopting an “I get to” mindset extends beyond a professional context. If you are not where you want to be professionally then a great alternative is to internalize positivity. Acknowledge that I get to enjoy another day on this Earth healthy. Maybe you don’t like your job, but you do enjoy your coworkers. I get to hang out with some good people today. I get to go home and spend time with the family. Positivity of the mind, you want your glass to be half full.

This perspective on your current situation breaks down to general self-awareness with overlying gratitude. Choosing to focus on positivity versus the aspects of your life you desire but may have alluded you to this point. Dreading life’s obligations is not a healthy way to live. It is well documented the negative impact stress has on us. Much of it is internalized and controllable to a certain extent. If you know you can leverage the power of thought to make yourself a healthier and happier person, everyone should take advantage to do just that. I love a good deal and that is an undeniably incredible one.

Conclusion

At the end of the day choosing to possess an “I get to” mindset starts with the person you see in the mirror. If you’ve read my previous posts, first off thank you. You may also notice that is a recurring theme on my website. In my first post I made mention to coming from humble beginnings. I did not allow that remnant from birth to define my path in life. Adopting the right mindset is no different and falls right in line with how you can take steps internally to overcome whatever hurdles are before you.

Maybe you feel something is lacking in your career and you’re more motivated than ever to do something about it. Remember, who you are today is not who you have to be tomorrow. Know there can be a shining light ahead of you and you get to pursue it. Accept the challenge to do so. Marathons are won by putting one front in front of the other. How we go about advancing in life isn’t much different. Thank you for reading, and until next time please take care of yourself and the ones you love.