There is a whole world out there!
Pavel Polcr
Software Engineer | Storyteller | LinkedIn Enthusiast and Mentor | I help other techies build a personal brand on LinkedIn | Fuelling growth of software engineers through Software Engineering Tales Podcast
Tuesday morning, my son was waiting for me to prepare his breakfast. I was slowly stirring a pot with porridge, and out of nothing I just heard his rather enthusiastic shout:
"Hey, Daddy - look. There is a whole world out there!"
He was sitting on the edge of our kitchen window, looking out. I found that moment special - and managed to take the photo without burning the porridge :D
Savor such moments. And learn how to actively look for them.
I know a lot of rather bitter people. And I know a lot of happy people. Then there is a special breed - people who seem happy but are bitter in the inside - just pretending.
Happiness is not about the money, not about public status. Let me tell you my personal recipe for happiness.
How I (try to) be happy.
Years ago, I was working with this older lady - she had a few years to retire. She was not an immediate colleague, we worked in different departments. That was when I was employed as a salesman working for a bank.
One day we met at a "burnout prevention" seminar.
We were talking a lot about stress, and burnout (obviously) - and what she shared with us I took with me and I am building on it since then.
"Lower your expectations."
That's what she said. Lower your expectations.
She did not need her kids to be top students, she was happy for them to be good enough.
She didn't need to throw money through the window for 3 vacations a year - she was happy with one.
But don't be mistaken - lowering your expectations, does not mean lowering your ambition.
It can teach you to be much more resilient to things you can't really influence much and where you don't have 100% control.
So what is the recipe for happiness?
Here is my approach in a few points.
Is it working? Yeah.
Do I feel happy all the time? Not really - but hey, I am working on it. And remember? "Lower your expectations."
See you around my friends. Don't worry, be happy...
I assist businesses in getting online by developing user-friendly?mobile, web & ERP solutions | Co-Founder & CEO at Plural Code Technologies | 200+ Happy Clients Globally
9 个月Awesome Pavel Polcr
?editelka ?eské asociace science center, mana?erka spolku Proxima. Propojuji ?eská science centra a podporuji aktivní ostravské studenty se zájmem o p?írodní vědy a techniku.
9 个月Thank for this post, nice story and recomendation. I agree, these are the most. ????
Software Engineer | Founding Engineer | TypeScript | Express | Node | API Builder | Creative + Technical Writer/Speaker
9 个月Excellent stories, both with your son and the fellow employee. They both sound wise ??
??I Help IT & Tech Professionals Excel In Their Careers By Communicating Confidently in English In 10 Weeks ??丨Worked With 450+ Students丨13 Years Experience in IT ??| Trilingual | FREE eBook Below ??
9 个月?? that's how I feel now! Thanks for sharing, Pavel!