Never permit a dichotomy to rule your life, a dichotomy in which you hate what you do so you can have pleasure in your spare time. Look for a situation in which your work will give you as much happiness as your spare time.  Pablo Picasso

Several years ago I taught my boss how to dance. He enjoyed it so much we two-stepped down the hallway, with no music playing, just the sound of me quietly keeping time by saying “quick, quick, s-l-o-w, s-l-o-w” while curious coworkers wondered what in the world we were doing. Like somehow taking three minutes to dance at work is the weirdest idea ever. I felt sorry for them because they were missing out on fun because they couldn’t step out of the you-must-be-serious-at-work-to-really-be-working convention. After we finished our impromptu dance my boss, with a huge smile, told me he just had the funnest time ever in his 33 years of working. How awesome is that.

Lesson learned: Wherever you are, whatever your situation, please don’t be the one that says you can’t wait for Friday. Don’t make happiness wait. Friday may never come and secondly, by looking ahead you could be missing out on the unexpected joy available right now. Happiness really can be as simple as dancing the two-step.

Above: My most favorite piece in the Guggenheim, Pablo Picasso’s Le Moulin de la Galette. Image from the Guggenheim’s website. Frame from Fuzzimo.com

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