6b) Play

6) The Fruits of your Labor

6b) PLAY & PLEASURE 

Live Life and Enjoy the Ride: Sustainable Personal Relationships.

Many social enterprises and nonprofits work very hard to make the world a better place. However, they sometimes do so in a way that is so serious that it becomes dogmatic. Your social enterprise should have ‘fun’ somehow incorporated into its business operations. Both for owners and workers fanatic dedication to a ‘cause’ can be counterproductive. Better to relax a little, have fun and work with enthusiasm.

Sustainable Activist Enterprise and Friendships

Building a social enterprise or sustainable community can actually help you with your friendships, love life and personal relationships! Our economic model is based on the principle of “Pleasurable Activism”; we try to have fun as we work to make the world a better place! When you enjoy living in this world it gives further fuel to your efforts in trying to improve it.
In addition, you will inevitably form friendships with the people who happen to ‘come with the job’. You spend long hours with your co-workers so of course, you become close with some. However, the true test of the friendship is how often you stay in touch with a person after you’ve left the job. It is natural that many fade over time, but most end right away because the people simply did not have much in common besides the job they worked at.
Alternatively, you may create a social enterprise or sustainable community that is based on your values. When you are making an income providing services or goods that are both sustainable, and in alignment with these values, you can expect to attract like-minded people. When people are attracted to the values inherent in your business project they will have a real desire to work with you. Employees or Volunteers at ethical, fair-trade, advocacy companies tend to be much happier and motivated than workers who are just “Doing a job for the money.”  Additionally, on a social level, these avenues will allow you to form stronger friendships with people who share your views and moral outlook.

Sustainable Enterprise and Loving Relationships

One of the biggest challenges in today’s world is to find and sustain meaningful relationships. Before the 1960’s, society was much more homogeneous and uniform. People shared the same value system because they also shared the same religions and beliefs. Traditional religions like Christianity and Islam are based on strict guidelines, as well as stressing lifelong marriage and monogamy as the pillars of a stable society.

Then came the social revolution of the sixties and attitudes began to change! People stopped allowing religion to play such a dominant role in their lives, and in turn, they began to explore their individual dreams, regardless of relationship status.

The revolution has been great for individual freedom and exploring your personal potential. However, it has not been easy on long-term relationships. Divorce rates have skyrocketed since the sixties especially among people who do not subscribe to traditional religions.
Religions such as Christianity might be conservative but they give followers structure and rules to live by. If a Christian man and woman marry, they have the advantage of starting off with many of the same values. These traditional couples tend to stay together longer, whether happily or not. On the other hand, when a “New Age” man marries a “New Age” woman the relationships often do not last as long.
Once you leave the traditional religion you are free to live according to your own rules. Therefore it may be easy to find a partner who shares common interests but is often difficult to find a partner with a shared value and rule system.
When you create a social enterprise you are creating a value system. If your social enterprise is truly a moral value-oriented business then you will attract partners, workers, and friends who share those values. In the very old days, a man (especially) had to build a house or kill a lion to prove his manhood by showing that he could protect and provide for a woman. That old paradigm is now over. However, the feeling remains of men wanting to create something that will help to attract a suitable mate. Women are increasingly feeling the same. Entrepreneurial women are creating ‘babies;’ businesses that reflect their morals and values.
A business can just be a business, the same way a job can just be a job. However, when one creates a value-oriented business, a statement is being made about who you are and what you believe in. This can be very attractive to women or vice versa. Especially if your values business has a certain degree of success. You may attract someone because of those values in your business, and pursue a relationship together. We would argue that that relationship can more stable and sustainable than if your employment or business does not reflect any particular values.
Like Christian couples who stay together longer because they share the same values, so too, a couple with a social enterprise are also growing and building a value-based system. It is one that also makes them money so it is something much more sustainable!

Miscellaneous Material

Business ideals can cause personal relationships to start, improve or end!

In our social enterprise community, we have noticed how the demographics and characteristics of our visitors have changed over the years. When Hedonisia Hawaii was just a budget hostel, we attracted people who were looking for a cheap place to stay. Many of our guests and volunteers during this time were wonderful but there were a number of visitors who were “criminally challenged!”

As our eco and social activist policies became a more prominent part of our business we found that the people who visited and stayed with us started to change. Lo and behold, we found that more and cooler intelligent, progressive and eco-friendly, idealistic and basically great people were attracted to what we were trying to do. We were no longer just a cheap hostel in Hawaii. The new people who were attracted to our idealistic businesses stayed longer at Hedonisia. They also worked hard and with honesty and integrity. Often when they left, they left as friends!

However, friendships also ended too. Some people did not think our social goals should be as prominent as the eco-tourist side of our community; things became confrontational and those friendships ended.

Regardless, the change was overwhelmingly positive. Now, when we go traveling we have friends to visit in the world. We have stayed with or visited friends from Hedonisia in Portland OR, Barcelona, Spain, London, UK, Copenhagen Denmark, and Amsterdam, Holland. One of the best ways to travel is to meet with a native that you are friends with and share common values.

As eco-business owners and travelers, our friends are often quite similar! In our community of individuals, we respect everyone’s choices insofar as they don’t impose on the community. This has resulted in a relaxed space where people debate ideas in a more positive manner. We don’t just complain. We look for sustainable solutions.

When people are working at a place with ideals they tend to meet other like-minded people! We have had two sets of Sustainable Community Managers meet and fall in love here. In August 2016 two of our interns got married on the island! Many volunteers and guests have also formed incredible friendships and loving relationships. This does tend to make for a happier morale and when people are happy they are more social, which makes for a great group dynamic!

On a personal note, putting my ideals into my business brought me love! One past lover and former partner applied to be an Intern at Hedonisia. As she related to me later, when she read the website she was attracted to the values we were working for which made her want to visit our little community. She did visit and ended up staying! We fell in love and became business partners and traveled the world for 5 years.

Six Minute
Management Course
Lesson 1:

A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is
finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings

The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs
downstairs.

When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next door
neighbor.

Before she says a word, Bob says, ‘I’ll give you $800
to drop that towel.’

After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel
and stands naked in front of Bob, after a few
seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.

The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back
upstairs.
When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, ‘Who was
that?’
‘It was
Bob the next door neighbor she
replies.

‘Great,’
the husband says, ‘did he say anything about the
$800 he owes me?
Moral of the story:If you
share critical information pertaining to credit
and risk with your shareholders in time, you may
be in a position to prevent avoidable
exposure.

Lesson 2: A priest offered a Nun a lift
She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to
reveal a leg.The priest nearly had an accident.
After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand
up her leg.

The nun said, ‘Father, remember Psalm 129?’

 

The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he
let his hand slide up her leg again.

The nun once again said, ‘Father, remember Psalm 129?’

The priest apologized ‘Sorry sister but the flesh is
weak.’
Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily
And went on her way.

On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look
up Psalm 129. It said, ‘Go forth and seek,
further up, you will find glory.’

Moral of
the story:If you are not well informed in your job, you might
miss a great
opportunity.

Lesson 3: A sales
rep, an administration clerk, and the manager
are walking to lunch when they find an antique
oil lamp.They rub
it and a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, ‘I’ll give each of you just one
wish.”Me first! Me first!’ says the admin clerk. ‘I want
to be in the Bahamas , driving a speedboat,
without a care in the world.’
Puff!
She’s gone.’Me
next! Me next!’ says the sales rep. ‘I want to
be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my
personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina
Coladas and the love of my life.’
Puff!
He’s gone.

 

‘OK,
you’re up,’ the Genie says to the manager.
The manager says, ‘I want those two back in the
office after lunch.’
Moral of
the story:
Always
let your boss have the first
say.
Lesson
4: An eagle
was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.

 

A small
rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, ‘Can I also
sit like you and do nothing?’
The
eagle answered: ‘Sure, why
not.’

So, the
rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and
rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped
on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of
the story:To be
sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting
very, very high
up.
Lesson 5 A turkey
was chatting with a bull.

 

‘I would
love to be able to get to the top of that tree
sighed the turkey, ‘but I haven’t got the
energy.’

 

‘Well,
why don’t you nibble on some of my droppings?’
replied the bull. They’re packed with
nutrients.’

 

The
turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it
actually gave him enough strength to reach the
lowest branch of the tree.

 

The next
day, after eating some more dung, he reached the
second branch.

 

Finally
after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly
perched at the top of the tree.

 

He was
promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out
of the tree.

 

Moral of
the story:
Bull
Shit might get you to the top, but it won’t keep
you there

 

Lesson
6

 

A little
bird was flying south for the winter. It was so
cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into
a large field.

 

While he
was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some
dung on him.

 

As the
frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung,
he began to realize how warm he was.

 

The dung
was actually thawing him out!

 

He lay
there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing
for joy.
A
passing cat heard the bird singing and came to
investigate.

 

Following
the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the
pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and
ate him.

 

Morals
of the story:

(1) Not
everyone who shits on you is your enemy.

 

(2) Not
everyone who gets you out of shit is your

friend.

 

(3) And
when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep

your
mouth shu
Lesson
1:

 

A man is
getting into the shower just as his wife is
finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings

 

The wife
quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs
downstairs. 

 

When she
opens the door, there stands Bob, the next door
neighbor 

 

Before
she says a word, Bob says, ‘I’ll give you $800
to drop that towel.’ 

 

After
thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel
and stands naked in front of Bob, after a few
seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.

 

The
woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back
upstairs. 

 

When she
gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, ‘Who was
that?’ 

 

‘It was
Bob the next door neighbor she
replies.

 

‘Great,’
the husband says, ‘did he say anything about the
$800 he owes me?’ 

 

Moral of
the story:
If you
share critical information pertaining to credit
and risk with your shareholders in time, you may
be in a position to prevent avoidable
exposure.

 

Lesson
2:

 

A priest
offered a Nun a lift 

 

She got
in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to
reveal a leg. 

 

The
priest nearly had an
accident.

 

After
controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand
up her leg. 

 

The nun
said, ‘Father, remember Psalm 129?’

 

The
priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he
let his hand slide up her leg again.

The nun
once again said, ‘Father, remember Psalm 129?’

 

The
priest apologized ‘Sorry sister but the flesh is
weak.’ 

 

Arriving
at the convent, the nun sighed heavily

And went
on her way. 

 

On his
arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look
up Psalm 129. It said, ‘Go forth and seek,
further up, you will find glory.’

 

Moral of
the story:
If you
are not well informed in your job, you might
miss a great
opportunity.

 

Lesson
3:

 

A sales
rep, an administration clerk, and the manager
are walking to lunch when they find an antique
oil lamp. 

 

They rub
it and a Genie comes out.

The
Genie says, ‘I’ll give each of you just one
wish.’ 

 

‘Me
first! Me first!’ says the admin clerk. ‘I want
to be in the Bahamas , driving a speedboat,
without a care in the world.’

Puff!
She’s gone. 

 

‘Me
next! Me next!’ says the sales rep. ‘I want to
be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my
personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina
Coladas and the love of my life.’

Puff!
He’s gone. 

 

‘OK,
you’re up,’ the Genie says to the manager. 

The
manager says, ‘I want those two back in the
office after lunch.’ 

 

Moral of
the story:
Always
let your boss have the first
say.

 

Lesson
4

 

An eagle
was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.

 

A small
rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, ‘Can I also
sit like you and do nothing?’

The
eagle answered: ‘Sure, why
not.’

 

So, the
rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and
rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped
on the rabbit and ate it.

 

Moral of
the story:
To be
sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting
very, very high
up.

 

Lesson
5

 

A turkey
was chatting with a bull.

 

‘I would
love to be able to get to the top of that tree
sighed the turkey, ‘but I haven’t got the
energy.’ 

 

‘Well,
why don’t you nibble on some of my droppings?’
replied the bull. They’re packed with
nutrients.’ 

 

The
turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it
actually gave him enough strength to reach the
lowest branch of the tree.

 

The next
day, after eating some more dung, he reached the
second branch. 

 

Finally
after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly
perched at the top of the tree.

 

He was
promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out
of the tree.

 

Moral of
the story:
Bull
Shit might get you to the top, but it won’t keep
you there

 

Lesson
6

 

A little
bird was flying south for the winter. It was so
cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into
a large field. 

 

While he
was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some
dung on him. 

 

As the
frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung,
he began to realize how warm he was.

 

The dung
was actually thawing him out!

 

He lay
there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing
for joy. 
A
passing cat heard the bird singing and came to
investigate.

 

Following
the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the
pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and
ate him. 

 

Morals
of the story:

(1) Not
everyone who shits on you is your enemy.

 

(2) Not
everyone who gets you out of shit is your

friend.

 

(3) And
when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep

your
mouth shu