The Value of Labor

According to Sigmund Freud, the cornerstones of humanity are love and work. And because today is a holiday set aside to honor workers, it seems like an appropriate moment to talk a little bit about the value of work.

It’s easy to think of work only as something we have to do. And for most of us, our jobs are a necessary part of life. Not in the way Freud meant it, as a way to define ourselves, but in the more traditional sense of work as a job. Something we have to do to pay the bills and keep the lights on and food on the table.

And that’s an important point to keep in mind. You work, and you get something in return.

This Labor Day, we want you to think about the work you’re putting in on your weight loss program, and what you’re getting in return.

The work part comes in when you feel like this is something you have to do. You have to lose weight because you have to feel better about yourself. You have to live a healthier life and set a good example for your children. You have to look better.

And what do you get in return? A renewed sense of self worth. New vitality. Compliments on your looks and your energy level. You get your life back.

So is it work? Is it labor? Sometimes. Sometimes it just feels like a job. Like you’re putting one foot in the front of the other and pushing a lawnmower up a hill.

And then you get on the scale, or try on a new pair of jeans, or walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded or chase the kids around the park all morning. You know what that is? That’s pay day. That’s your reward for all the hard work.

So today, honor the work you’re doing. Feel proud of it. It’s important stuff, and you’re really good at it.