As we are starting 2023, looking back, I realize that I have spent most of 2022 looking for a job. It’s weird how much time I spent working or worrying about work. So today, I wanted to talk about work, about money and about happiness.
Work Won’t Love You Back
At the end of last year, I read “Work Won’t Love You Back”, written by Sarah Jaffe. It was not exactly what I expected. I thought it would show that work doesn’t define who we are and shouldn’t be our life, that we had to measure the love we have for our job in a reasonable way. But it wasn’t. In fact, it was a much more serious read than that, more about the History of work (with a big H) and of unions.
The book is a series of real stories of people who work in different fields and who are usually not paid much because their love for their job is considered as rewarding enough (nurse, nanny, charity, artist…). In the end, most of them unionize and manage to get a better situation, even though a lot of progress in working conditions remains to do.
Because I found the book a bit repetitive, I had trouble finishing it. Despite that, I found some interesting ideas in it and it made me think about how I perceive myself as a professional and how much I think I am worth. I have always thought that I could accept a lower salary if the job was fulfilling. But now, I think, why should I have to choose between a good job and happiness in my personal life? Because, let’s face it, even if my job is fascinating, if it doesn’t allow me to pay for my rent, gas and sometimes chocolate, how can I be happy?
The Difficult Topic Of Money
Hum, money… Shall we talk about it? Can we talk about it? Money doesn’t buy happiness, they say. Sure, but it pays your rent, your food, your clothes and some occasional restaurant with friends. So is money really that unimportant? I don’t think so.
As I’m approaching my 35th birthday (scary, I know…), having some security and a place I can call home has become more and more important. I honestly thought Toulouse would be my last stop, but professional opportunities have been scarce and not well paid. The sentence I hear more and more in companies is “It could be worse”. Hum, is that really the best we can get? Because surely, it could be better.
This is why I have decided to expand my search and now, another future in another city seems possible, both fulfilling and with a reasonable salary.
Some people have told me that I might be asking too much, that life is expensive and that’s it. However, some other people know their worth, they are asking for the right salary and they get it. So who’s right? If everybody has low self-esteem and accepts a low salary, of course, employers are not going to give us more. I don’t know, it’s a difficult question…
Happiness And Work
That said, it’s hard to find a job that fills all your needs. Before I went back to school, in 2018, I did a skills assessment with a great counselor. She told me that what I felt was missing from my job could be found in a hobby. Let’s say that I feel like I want to practice English, but my work is strictly in French, maybe I can join a club where people speak English.
Another example is what I’m currently doing as a volunteer. I work for an association that protects animals. As a web editor, I interview people and write articles about their activity or project, and that fulfills my need to work as a journalist. Plus, it looks good on my CV.
This article might be a bit messy, but so are most of my Thoughts articles. I just wanted to open the debate on work and money, because it’s been on my mind. I think we should all dream bigger (but doable), and I’m glad some of my friends are showing me the way.
Happy New Year to all of you!
To read more thoughts, you can visit the page Thoughts.
To read what last year’s beginning inspired me, read the article In 2022, Listen More.
