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Good and Tired



You know how you feel after a good, hard day’s work? You go to bed tired, but satisfied. Maybe even exhausted, but with the subtle invigoration of accomplishment. It’s the feeling when you know you’ve put in a good day’s work and earned your rest.

There is a great deal of research being produced looking at happiness and fulfillment. Scientists are realizing that most people find far more contentment in work than in leisure. The quality of mood is, on average, usually better when people are engaged and being challenged. This also shows up in countless retirees who are more worried about what might go wrong than enjoying what is going right.

We are designed to work hard and to be productive. Rest and relaxation, though important, seem to have diminishing returns beyond a certain level. When my number gets called and I close my eyes for the last time, I hope to leave this life tired, but fulfilled rather than restless and bored.

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