After I had been in Europe for two weeks, I sent a status report through electronic mail to my United States human resource manager. I will always cherish his response. He started by complimenting me on what I had already accomplished in the two weeks that I had been in Europe. He then added some advice by saying, "You will be given a lot of vacation time while you are on your European assignment. Be sure you take this time, and make it a point to see as much of Europe as you can. There are too many people who return from expatriate assignments, never having taken advantage of the opportunity to explore the areas where they have lived. Many will remark, 'I worked so hard that I missed the party.' Enjoy the party while you are there!"
I am grateful that this advice came very early during my European assignment. It allowed me to rethink my priorities and make the adjustments necessary to "enjoy the party" while still making the significant impact that I had planned. In fact, I think that the reason I was able to exceed my job objectives was due in part to the enjoyment of the adventures I experienced. Since my husband was retired, he was able to travel with me on many of my business trips. I would plan meetings in London for Fridays and Mondays, so that we would be there for the weekend to spend time with friends, visit museums, and go to the theatre. When we weren't in London or sightseeing in France, we would take short weekend trips to Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. We cruised the Mediterranean and Black Seas and took vacations in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. We also entertained many friends who visited us in France, and we enjoyed every minute of it. The added bonus was that I was able to exceed my objectives for the job assignment and to enjoy my work even more than I had anticipated.
Are you taking time to enjoy the moment and bring pleasure into your life? You might start by answering the following questions:
- Do I regularly take time for myself?
- Do I enjoy the company of special people?
- Do I enjoy the social events I attend?
- Do I live my priorities?
- Is my work challenging and fulfilling?
- Do I engage in recreational activities?
- Do I have at least one hobby?
- Do I take care of my health and have regular checkups?
- Do I exercise regularly?
- Do I give to others?
- Am I a grateful receiver?
- Do I have a way to relax that eliminates stress?
- Do I feel energized at the end of most work days?
If you have answered "yes" to all of these questions, congratulations! Otherwise, the following suggestions may be of help:
Be in the present.
A colleague once said, "Being fully in the present is a gift. It is a gift to yourself as well as to others. You literally create your future with your thoughts and actions. When you are fully in the present, you are totally involved and alert to opportunities. The people you encounter subjectively sense whether or not you are fully with them. This has a great impact on the quality of your personal and business relationships."
Enjoy your work.
Are you working at a job that you love? If not, is there any possibility that you can make a change? A change does not necessarily mean a totally different job. It could mean adding or subtracting something from your current job in order to make it more enjoyable.
Take time for yourself.
Do you take time for yourself? When is the last time you went for a walk in the park and enjoyed nature? Enjoyed a bubble bath? Had lunch with a friend? Read a book? If you had an entire day to do something spontaneous, what would it be? Why not do it now?
Give to others.
Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you give to someone else? Some people wait to give until they can afford to buy an extravagant gift. This is not necessary, as it is usually the non-material gifts that the receiver values most. This can be as simple as a smile or a compliment. It can be the simple gift of showing someone that you care by giving him or her your attention. It can be taking the time to tell someone that you appreciate him or her. Although these gifts do not cost anything, they can be the most precious to both the receiver and the giver.
Engage in recreational activities.
The word recreation contains the root word create, which means "to cause to exist." By preceding this word with the prefix re, which means "again" or "anew," we are saying that we are causing a new existence of ourselves. We are refreshing our lives, both mentally and physically.
Express and feel gratitude.
Part of expressing gratitude is becoming a gracious receiver. Many people think that they should always be the giver, rather than the receiver; hence they have difficulty in accepting that which is given to them. Many have told me that they think they are not worthy or deserving.
Dr. Deepak Chopra suggests that we gratefully receive all the gifts that life has to offer us. These gifts include gifts of nature, such as sunlight, the sounds of singing birds, spring showers, and the beauty of the first snow of winter. They also include gifts from others, both material and non-material.
Stopping to "smell the roses" is more than a cliché. It points out the importance of appreciating beauty, human relationships, and the things that are most important to us. It offers the opportunity to reflect, to decrease stress, and to add balance to our lives. This not only contributes to, but also enhances any success we may achieve.
My wish for you is that you seize the joy of the day, savor each moment as special, and appreciate the beauty of life!
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