Broker Your Own Happiness

Do not assume that you must sacrifice yourself or your life to be successful at work. Organizations like Essilor are becoming much more astute than ever before that it is important to have a fully engaged employee. Here are a few of the core components I share with mentees regarding how I have tried to build my happiest, most productive, and best life:

  • Manage your time and keep reasonable expectations. As a single mom, I learned years ago that, when it comes to priorities such as sleep, work, kids, friends, family, gym, I cannot have abundance in all of my priorities during the same 24-hour period, but if I set boundaries on my time, I can find a way to incorporate all of them in a meaningful way within a week. We must all “broker” happiness for ourselves, and this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. How you broker your own happiness is a formula that evolves.
  • Consider the long term as most important. In your twenties, be future oriented. Prioritize yourself by setting a long-term vision for your life, including career and education. In your thirties, invest in your career, but not with a complete disregard for relationships. In your forties, you are free to “broker happiness.” You get to choose to do more or less when it comes to work, family, and other activities. But that freedom only comes when you start investing in yourself early on.
  • Make an impact in your job. Commit to yourself that you will contribute more than the person before you. Be inquisitive, and don’t be afraid of “stretch” jobs outside your comfort zone, as these jobs will help you grow. Update your resume every six months and reassess if you are in the right place; don’t just put your head down and work without considering where you are headed.
  • Invest in having a family or close group of friends. When you are busy, the clock ticks by quickly. If you want to have children, it’s okay to force time priorities to find a partner. Having kids forced me to stop being a workaholic, and I am deeply grateful to them for giving me perspective.
  • Be global. Have a passport and use it. I have grown so much by working globally. Having a career/life plan that balances periods of travel and non-travel allowed me to experience the world, and also appreciate and truly love just being at home.

I feel very blessed and grateful to have reached a point where I can broker happiness. I want to share with other women that they also can go through life and feel good about the choices they make.