Pause on Labor Day

Labor Day gives us something many of us rarely give ourselves: permission to stop. We work year-round for whatever and whoever we work for. We answer messages, meet deadlines, solve problems, care for customers, support our teams, and try to keep our personal lives together. Even when we are technically off, part of us may still be thinking about Monday morning.

So what happens when we pause? For me, the pause has become more important lately. I have been reflecting a lot on who I am, where I have been, and where I want to go next. When I am moving constantly, it is easy to confuse activity with direction. In the quiet, I can see more clearly.

Labor Day gives us the opportunity to think of who we are outside of work. You are not your work. You are not your title, your performance review, your sales numbers, the number of emails you answer before breakfast, etc. Your work matters, but your worth does not begin and end with your output.

That is part of what I mean when I say, You’re Worth It!

If your job disappeared tomorrow, what would remain? What would you still care about? What strengths would still belong to you? Many of us have been trained to introduce ourselves through our work. We say what we do before we say who we are. We measure a good day by what we completed. We feel guilty when we rest, as if stopping means we are falling behind. I understand it and have often done it myself. However, we should honor the human, not just the resource.

The same is true for you. You deserve to lead and build a career without abandoning yourself. This Labor Day, pause and think about where you’re going. Whatever your truth is, give it room. I hope you enjoy the day. But know that you are worth pausing for.

Coach Ha-Keem

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