Hanapbuhay: Finding Life
Volume 23, Chapter XI, Number 036
Hello!
This Week’s One Great Thing: Hanapbuhay: Finding Life
The Filipino word for work is HANAPBUHAY. It is such a beautiful word because it captures what everyone aspires work to be. Hanapbuhay literally means “looking for life” or “finding life.”
I like “looking for life” more because it captures the activity of looking for that is needed in our journey. We do not just find life, we strive for it, the way we look for our playmates in a Hide-and-Seek game. Work becomes meaningful because we seek out meaning and purpose in what we do. It's about going beyond the mundane tasks and recognising how our work contributes to something greater. When we see the impact we can make, whether big or small, it brings a sense of fullfillment that adds depth to our lives.
Growth. Work, when seen from this perspective of hanapbuhay, can be a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. By challenging and stretching ourselves and pushing our boundaries, we learn more about our strengths, weaknesses, and passions. The process of building a career then becomes a means of exploring our full potential, being at our best, finding our niche and expertise.
Balance. Looking for life in our work also means finding a balance between our professional and personal lives. It is realising that life is not just work. That it is about nurturing relationships, pursuing hobbies, and taking care of our physical and mental well-being. When work aligns with our values and allows us to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it contributes to a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. For some of us, we realise that work is a means to life. That work is the economic engine that allows the rest of our life to happen.
Connection and Contribution. Work provides an opportunity to connect with others and make a positive impact in the world. It's about forming meaningful relationships with colleagues, clients, and communities. Some of our most meaningful relationships can be with our work mates. When we say for example that work feels like play, or work is like a family, it gives us the sense that we are actually finding life at work.
Continuous Learning. As an adult, we learn the most at work. It’s paid education. Work as looking for life involves embracing a mindset of continuous learning and growth. It's about seeking new challenges, acquiring new skills, and staying curious - because that is how you look for life. Our greatest experiences and our greatest wisdom can come from work, if we allow it to.
How do we look for life at work? We can start with these five steps.
1) Define what success is for you. So many people are unhappy because they miss doing this fundamental step. St. Ignatius of Loyola has this contemplation where you’re supposed to imagine yourself on your death bed. Will you have regrets? Who will be there? From that perspective and age, what will you say made you most happy? Will you feel you have succeeded?
This exercise serves as a "relativizer" because it helps us transcend the distractions and expectations of society. It allows us to evaluate our choices and the path we are currently on. By envisioning our future selves and contemplating our regrets, we gain the clarity to make conscious decisions that align with our true desires and aspirations. It forces us to confront the ultimate questions of purpose and fulfillment.
2) Self-awareness. There is such a thing as analysis paralysis so be careful about this. But to put it simply, what you’re looking for in work are basically the following:
1) does this work fit your personality?
2) are you interested in doing it, or do you drag your feet every morning?
3) does it make your strengths come out?
Some things will have to give, but looking at all three questions together will give you a perspective that is a little deeper than just asking yourself if the work earns you money.
3) Quiet the fears within. People who have done steps 1 and 2 can get stuck and not do anything about it because they’re very afraid of the consequences of their actions. It may mean leaving a lucrative career. Or transferring to another city. Or leaving people behind. Discernment has consequences.
The way to defeat fear is to make concrete but small steps toward whatever it is that we desire. We usually only have light enough to make the next step. Careful planning and then “step-by-step” doing gives us the psychological confidence to follow through on steps 1 and 2 without feeling too paralysed by fear.
4) Research! Part of confidence building and plain prudence is research. It’s more than just thinking about your hanapbuhay. It is about getting your hands dirty. It may mean trying things out part-time, volunteering, finding a mentor, asking people who are already doing what you are just dreaming about. Basically whatever you need to get to a strong conviction and make a decision.
5) Jump! When you’ve arrived at a particularly strong conviction, make the jump. In english, it is called Leap of Faith. Another Filipino word captures it perfectly– PANANAMPALATAYA. It comes from the root word TAYA–to bet. We bet on what we believe in, we bet on ourselves.
But because you’ve done steps 1-4, it is NOT blind faith. Rather, it is a risk-taking faith. Because you did your discernment, you can bet your life on it.
Who was it who said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of wheat. Whoever loses his life will find it?” In your death bed, you will think back on your life and realise that was how you found your life.
You found it by looking for it.
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More Great Stuff:
✅ Productivity Tools for Spiritual Growth: Top Picks to Enhance Your Work and Spiritual Practice
✅ The Power of Mindfulness: How Spiritual Practices Can Boost Your Productivity
Ok! Now pause, get yourself to a window, look up to the sky, smile, and have a great day! Look forward to send you another letter next week!
☕ eric santillan