Work to Live Or Live To Work?

Do I work in order to live or ... live to work?

Once upon a time when I was riding public transportation home this thought came to my mind.
4 bags of groceries were on my lap. I bought some necessity for the month like tissues, detergent,  cereal, and other general stuffs. At that point I was reminded that I was able to purchase those things (and also had the options to choose those from other brand of fast consumer goods) because I have money.

That is the main point, I have the power to purchase, and afterward to enjoy those products (and live happily ever after for a month) because I earn some money by working.

Logically, we can put the situation like this :

I work,

I earn money,

I spend money,

Then I can live properly (happily comfortable in my context).

But .... What if I am not in love with what I do for work?

Let's say I have to bear working unhappily 8 hours five day a week in order to earn some money which afterward will make me live comfortably (and happily).

However, do you think it is fair to live comfortably everyday but feeling "unhappy" all the time at work?

Do what you love!

Hell yeah, that's so easy to say but rather impossible to be put into practice.

A friend of mine told me that no matter how in love you are with the job you have, there must be a moment of hardship that you need to overcome in the process. Well, I quite agree with that. 

Let's go back to another what if.

What if I decide to stop being unhappy by quitting my unhappy job.

I guess, the order would be something like this.

I don't work - I am happy, stress free!

I don't have any income,

I can't buy anything,

Then I live in full of stress life because I can't buy anything even the necessity of the month!

Another thing is when I decide to work (especially 9 to 5 job), there must be something that I have to sacrifice. Time of course and the most importantly, my time - age.  

Okay.... Okay.... You may say that it's take and give thing.

I give something and take something in return. 

Well yeah, by working the things that I obtain back is not only money. It also come with friends, network, knowledge, experience.

I personally believe that if I work in the right place, it means I sign up for doctoral degree in university of life.

So.... let's go back to my first question.

Do you think we live to work

or work to live?

If I spend 8 hours of my life a day focusing on work, doesn't it mean I live to work?

I was once stuck in the condition "live to work" and burned out at some point.

The saddest part was when I fully gave the best of me, I didn't realize that I lost  many things that I can never get back. The worst part is, no matter how in love I was with my job, I forgot that I was just a person with a name and a position which can be replaced anytime. It's just a matter of employment.

Note to myself : At work, none is irreplaceable.

Another note to myself : As a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a human with my own name, I am irreplaceable.

Can we for once don't need to work in order to be happy?

Be entrepreneur! Okay, I'll put that in my to do list.

Hmmmmm~~~

I guess it's just me and my crazy head.

Sofi Meloni