It's an honest question, but most people cannot provide an honest answer. Truly loving your job results in a desire to come back the next day - because you want to, not because you have to (or risk not paying your mortgage or feeding your children). When people ask me if I enjoy what I do, I tell them not only do I enjoy it, I love it, everything about it makes me happy. I am a teacher, and underpaid and overworked teacher. I am also a coach, a disciplinarian, a mentor, a helper, a thinker, a learner, a problem-solver, a listener, a talker, a comedian, a laugher, a worker, etc. etc. My role varies on a daily basis, from situation to situation, and I honestly enjoy this aspect of my job as it keeps me on my toes.Some think being a teacher is a part-time job, some think I get summer's off - this is another conversation entirely, and I don't want to get sidetracked from the focus of this post. The reality is, that I help kids learn. Help kids learn to use computers and technology so their lives are easier and they can apply themselves more efficiently when they enter the real world. Coming back to school the next day is rather easy (most of the time), and it's a sign to myself that I do indeed love what I do.
According to Legacy Educational Resources, only 32% of people truly "love" their jobs. LER mentions that "people are happier working jobs where they can say at the end of each day, 'I helped someone to have a better life.'" I'm not saying that you have to hold down a job where you truly are helping someone everyday in order to be happy. Look for opportunities that can help enrich your experience on the job and you'll be happy you did. Heck, you might even start to love what you're doing! For a list of some ideas about why other people love their jobs, check out SoYouWantToTeach.com's blog post. Also, read a mom's take on whether or not you should love your job.
Image from WorkItMom.com
