Do you ever wonder why we work? Why do we spend most of our lives sitting behind a desk or catering to the needs of customers and clients day in and day out in exchange for a few dollar bills in our pockets? On very difficult days, the thought keeps creeping into my head like a one-liner lyric of a song I don’t know the words to. So what’s our motivation?
It is so incredibly easy to forget why we work, why we bust our butts every single day, and why we even care. I am the first to forget, and I don’t feel an inkling of motivation for quite some time before I finally wake up. It is particularly difficult when you feel undervalued and unappreciated; but if you’re anything like me, you’re probably so much harder on yourself than others would ever be on you. So where do you draw the line and just start living?
I have met so many people who work because its a good (or simply steady) paycheck, or because its what they learned in school so they decided to stick with it. But is it really where you want to be? No matter how much I might complain, I really do love what I do, and that right there is my motivation to get up and work everyday. I just love it. This weekend was the perfect example.
Since some time in January, I have been coordinating a tasting event with a local olive oil shop called Carter & Cavero. They carry an array of infused olive oils, balsamic vinegars, sea salts, beautiful terra cotta pieces for the kitchen and home, and so much more. I have been fortunate enough to taste some truly delicious things in my life, and the products at Carter & Cavero have made that list.
It was so much fun to cook some things I have made so many times before with a new twist. My favorite was the brie & fig crostini (I think it was the favorite of a few testers too). I topped a fresh baguette slice with fig preserves, Carter & Cavero’s amazing fig balsamic (which I reduced), a slice of brie cheese, and sprinkled Carter & Cavero’s applewood smoked sea salt on top. That sea salt really just pulled the entire piece together.
Make sure to check out their website and Facebook page; they’ll be posting the recipe to the brie & fig this week. Absolutely stop into a store near you and try some of their products. Its worth it!
To bring it full circle, an event like this truly helps me to remember why I work. Just to hear the “mmmm” or “oh my gosh that is so good!” from people talking about the food I just made for them is such a cool feeling. Find your “mmmm” (as opposed to “OM”!) and keep yourself going every day. If you can’t, then maybe its time to find a job that will. Yes, even in this market you’ll be able to find one!
