One thing my dad taught me at an early age was that if I didn’t keep myself busy, he would. When you live on a farm, there is always something to do. There’s always an animal that could use attention, a barn that needs cleaning or a skill that needs practicing.
It can be an exhausting life, but it’s rewarding. It’s rewarding to know that you’ve put the time in and gave it your all. It’s rewarding to know that your work makes a difference and has an impact somehow.
And while my dad was right – that there is always something to do – I’ve also learned that there is always something to do. No matter how hard I work, there will still be work to do tomorrow.
You Can’t Pour Out of an Empty Cup
So, it’s important to also find time to rest. Taking some time off over the holidays is exactly what my soul needed. It’s easy for me to go hard and forget to rest. Then, I wonder why it’s so hard to pour myself into everyone and everything else.
Rest reminds us that we’re human and we can’t control it all. It helps us take a step back and regain perspective. It allows us see more clearly when we’ve taken a bit of a break from the grind.
Time for a Reboot
A recent conversation with my husband has been on my mind a lot lately. He said, “If you aren’t putting in full effort and trying to be the absolute best version of you that you can be, you’re leaving something on the table.”
I’m not a resolutions girl. I’m more of a “use the new year as a time to reboot” kind of girl. For me, the new year is a time to ask important questions.
• What are the things I care about most?
• Does my schedule reflect my priorities?
• Am I investing my time in stuff that matters?
• How am I living up to my full potential?
• What am I leaving on the table?
The U.S. pork industry has been wrestling with big questions, too. As a new year unfolds, I think it’s a good time to ask yourself a few reboot questions. We have limited days to make a difference in this life and fulfill our purpose. Are you on track to make your time count?
We Need You
If you haven’t been a part of the pork industry before, it’s hard to explain why it’s unique. But if you know, you know. My good friend Jan Archer recently retired from a 50-year career working in the pork industry. To say she’s seen it from all angles falls short.
“I’ve had an amazing career in this industry,” Archer says. “I’ve been able to feed my family and send my children to college. I’ve met the most amazing people on the planet -- the most honorable, the most hardworking, the most invested in other people. And that’s because I work in the pork industry.”
Archer says it’s critical that we let people know these stories of rewarding pork industry careers and lifetimes spent doing things that matter.
“We’ve got to let people know we’re here and we are a great career option,” she urges. “It doesn’t matter what you do or what your skill set is. If you are really good at social media, we’ve got a job for you. If you have a flip phone and never want to look at a computer, we have a job for you. If you love animals, we have a job for you. If you don’t really love animals, but love people, we have a job for you. There’s a place for everybody.”
Archer believes the industry’s cohesiveness and dependency on each other is part of why it’s special.
“The guy that’s got 150 pigs and is selling pork out his back door for a lot of money, we need him,” she says. “Those kids with show pigs that are chasing the banners, learning how to be FFA speakers, discovering how to have independent thought, learning how to get up every day and do the work, we really need them. There is a place for everybody.”
Sometimes I question if my role matters. Am I helping? Do I make a difference? The reality is we may never know in this lifetime. But if we prioritize and invest time pursuing a life that matters, using our gifts to the best of our ability, we will find incredible satisfaction living a life that doesn’t leave anything on the table.
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