Journal of Sacred Work

The [person] who does not work for the love of work but only for money is not likely to make money nor find much fun in life. – Charles Schwab 

   Toward the end of a forty year career that has included work as a trial lawyer, hospital and healthcare CEO, author, international television host, artist, minister and frequent public speaker, I gradually discovered the best advice to give myself before any performance. In fact, when I give myself this same advice several times a day, performance or not, the days always go better.

   What works for me is to tell myself to "have fun." It's only two words, but these words have been life-changing for me.

   I understand that caregiving can be very grim, often tear-filled work. In fact, caregiving can be so laced with tragedy and darkness that the above sign can appear as a cruel joke. But, having fun doesn't mean throwing sanity to the wind and ignoring the pain that surrounds us. It means finding ways to inform our moments with fun, laughter and/or play in as many different ways as we can.

   Fun is a kind of joy. Isn't joy essential to Love?

   Tragedy will arrive in different ways without our asking. There are plenty of signals about how serious we need to be as adults. It takes a conscious choice to awaken fun amid the stress of our work, the occasional drugery of our days, and our many worries and fears.

   Think of how the two-word advice to have fun might change some aspects of your life as a caregiver. For example, what do most Americans think when they hear the morning alarm signaling the beginning of the weeks:"Oh no, it's Monday." 

   Obviously, a Monday will come every seven days. Why ruin every single Monday morning for the rest of your life? Start thinking of how to make Monday fun and joyful.   

   I've heard hundreds of motivational speeches and given a bunch myself. As a minister, you might think my best advice would be to tell myself to pray. I do that. As a lawyer, you might think I would tell myself to attack and be tough against the opposition. I don't need to tell myself that. As a CEO, the self counsel might be to project leadership. That doesn't help me deal with others.

   "Have fun" is the phrase that works for me precisely because of my tendency to take myself too seriously. We need to take our work seriously, not ourselves.

   Speeches cause lot of folks tension and anxiety. Tell yourself to have fun before your next worrisome performance and it will transform that experience in a positive way.

   How do we have "fun" as caregivers. For me, it doesn't mean I have to tell jokes. Instead, it means taking joy in the task or tasks before us. It means expressing gratitude for the opportunity we have to serve others. And it means looking for opportunities to help others enjoy and honor their interactions.

   You might take a try with this phrase to see if it helps your life. Odd as it may seem, I often need to remind myself to use the two magic words. I often paste it to my mirror so I see it first thing in the morning.

   How do we live Love? Let fun and joy become a larger part of your life and Love's energy will find an easier path through your heart.

-Rev. Erie Chapman