"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." ~Raymond Hull
We live in a world where people who sacrifice their personal health and well-being are seen as heroes and those that work to achieve balance between work and life are seen as selfish or lazy. We receive conflicting messages throughout our lives. What we hear is not what we see.
What happens to these heroes when they sacrifice so much that there is nothing left for them or for their families? They whittle away, taking one chip at a time out of their emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Is it worth it in the end?
I will not trim myself to suit society or to keep up with the sacrifices of my coworkers.
I will not sacrifice my health and well-being for my career.
I will not compare myself to others.
I will not let others categorize or minimize my achievements.
Call me lazy, selfish, small-minded, lacking creativity and dedication.
Call me what you want, but when I'm 80 years old I don't want to look back on my life and say "I wish I'd taken better care of myself" and "I wish I'd spent more time with my family".
It's 5pm. I'm going home.
