\u201cAll labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n
This quote from Martin Luther King Jr. strikes me as a rich source of reflection as we head into Labor Day weekend. Because between the barbecues and the last sips of summer, shouldn\u2019t we connect with the meaning and purpose we derive from the labors of our lives, orienting ourselves toward a positive relationship with the difference our work makes to ourselves, others and the world? <\/p>\n
Dr. King\u2019s words bring up three questions I will be asking myself this weekend:<\/p>\n
1. What Am I Doing to Uplift Humanity?<\/strong> 2. How Do I Find Dignity in My Labor?<\/strong> 3. How Can I Best Pursue Excellence?<\/strong> \u201cAll labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.\u201d This quote from Martin Luther King Jr. strikes me as a rich source of reflection as we head into Labor Day weekend. Because between the barbecues and the last sips of summer, shouldn\u2019t we connect with the meaning and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":97,"featured_media":27551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[316],"ppma_author":[490],"class_list":["post-17733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-positive-living","tag-labor-day"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nThere\u2019s no disputing that Dr. King\u2019s life work made a positive impact on the world around him, and it is still resonating through the decades to connect with humanity\u2019s biggest challenges. You don\u2019t have to be a minister, an activist or a political figure to uplift your life and community, though. Your job, whatever it might be, makes the world a better place when you do it with mindful and positive energy.<\/p>\n
\nDr. King was fond of the phrase \u201call labor has dignity.\u201d He used it when he addressed striking sanitation workers in Memphis just weeks before his assassination, reminding them that without someone to collect our garbage, our society would be ill and unsafe. If each and every job has inherent value, we can all take pride in the difference we are able to make. The dictionary definition of \u201cdignity\u201d is, \u201cThe state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.\u201d Turn that idea onto your daily work and remember\u2014you are worthy. <\/p>\n
\nThe author Hunter S. Thompson once said, \u201cAnything worth doing is worth doing right.\u201d In other words, if you have taken on a job, it\u2019s important to accomplish it to a high standard for success. Whatever your work life is\u2014whether it\u2019s a paid job or the labor of caring for a home or family\u2014setting standards for yourself is key to gleaning purpose and meaning from everyday actions. Don\u2019t dial up the pressure, though\u2014excellence is a journey, and the simple act of pursuing it betters our lives at every step along the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"