And We Have a Pulse…

September 20, 2007

It’s been exactly one month since my last post. I didn’t plan to take a blogging break… it just kind of happened. I think all of the blogging I was doing at work burnt me out on the whole writing thing, despite the vastly different topics I wrote about there.

Just to clear up any doubt, RMA isn’t dead. I’m just sorting through some stuff and adjusting to some life changes. And yes… these are changes for the better.

For one, I’m back at the hospital. I could kick myself in the ass for ever leaving. I loved working there and I was seduced away by the prospects of more money (which I eventually got). But as I quickly found out, money doesn’t mean squat if you’re not happy with what you’re doing. When I left the hospital I didn’t just leave a position. I left an awesome group of co-workers, a supportive, team-oriented environment, and work that actually made a difference in the world. What I got in return was a bigger paycheck… but an awful environment, people who didn’t give a damn about their employees, and work that seemed to be going nowhere.

I’ve been told no less than 50 times how glad the people I work with at the hospital are to have me back. I’ve been back less than two full weeks and I already feel like part of the team again. It’s hard to describe the feeling I get everyday when I go in to work. I have no doubt that the people I work with are glad I’m there. I know that what I’m doing is making a difference in people’s lives. I know that I’m part of a team that really does care about one another. It’s an amazing feeling that I can’t believe I ever gave up.

And on top of it all… I’m making more than I did when I left - so it’s the best of both worlds!

Sometimes you just have to make a decision to figure out that it was the wrong one. No matter how much you think or plan or roll options around in your head, you can never be guaranteed that you’re making the best choice. More often than not you’ll have to actually make a move and let things play out.

Hopefully you learn something from the wrong choices you make. I certainly learned my lesson. When it comes to money or happiness… I’ll take happiness.

A year ago I obviously didn’t feel the same way. I left the only job I’ve ever truly loved to take a chance on the prospect of making more money. And while the money did eventually come, the happiness didn’t. I woke up every morning and cursed having to go to work. Shortly after getting off of work I’d start dreading going back the next day. The money was nice. But the dread and unhappiness made the money worthless in the grand scheme of things.

So I learned my lesson. Money does NOT equal happiness. If it comes down to sacrificing money or doing something you love… lose the money… and do what makes you happy. I hate to use such an over-used phrase… but life is way to short to put up with workplace bullshit, inept management, and shady business practices just to make a few more dollars. If you’re lucky enough to find something you REALLY enjoy doing… do it and just say to hell with the money. Don’t break yourself or put yourself into financial hardship. But the fluff money is just that - fluff.

There’s a little preview of what I’ve been up to during the last month. And now that I’m not wasting all of my blogging energy on someone else’s site, I expect to get back into the swing of things around here. Thanks for sticking around during the unannounced break and for not sending me too many “are you dead?” emails. Haha.

And don’t forget the moral of this story: happiness is more important than a few dollar signs.

Posted in Personal, Work

Related Posts

• "Cell" is As Great As It is Strange
• The Nuts Have It
• Use The Internet to Better Understand the World