Life is Good... Especially at Hanesbrands!

You already know that every day at work is a pretty good day for me. I feel blessed beyond measure every time I get to walk through the doors at Hanes Brands.

It's been eight years and still, every day I learn something that just blows my mind. Working at Hanes is sorta like being seven years old again. You remember that time... That time in your life when everything your mom and dad told you was awe-inspiring, and every idea shared made your eyes wide and your braincells pop with excitement. Well, that's what it's like for me every day as I work with and get to learn from the brightest and best there is in business. The people I work for are the kind of people that bring out the very best of who you are and they inspire me to over-deliver in everything I do. Frankly, I'm challenged so much because they keep setting the bar higher and higher in all that they do. The people I work for work hard and they know how to play hard too. But what sets them apart and Hanes apart as a corporation is how much more they give than they take. Which brings me to this...

The speaker at our national sales meeting today was Bert Jacobs, the co-founder and CEO of the Life is Good company. I bring this up because one of the Life is Good graphics Bert shared with us was of Rocket, (Life is Good dog) munching on a bed of flowers with the slogan, Takers eat well all day but Givers sleep well at night - Which pretty much sums up the people I work with and the company we all work for. 

Now, my bosses and others who inspire me at work won't tell you this about themselves... However, after hearing our brilliant CEO this morning remind us that Brands Matter and that at Hanes we have many great brands we have every right to be proud of, and knowing that I work for a global corporation that is the #1 apparel brand but is also a corporation equally concerned with being the leader in doing right by the world's people and the environment we all share, no matter the cost - All of this, on top of the fact that I witnessed over 500 Hanes executives and employees board buses bound for local community organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Hospice House, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Children's Home and many others to volunteer their time and muscle to improving the lives of others... Well, it just made me leave work today wanting to brag on them, and Hanes Brands just a little. 

I can't tell you everything that moved me about what Bert Jacobs shared with us today - otherwise we'd be here all night... But I can tell you that his company story is worth reading and Playmakers, the Life is Good Children's charity is definitely worthy of our support... Bert's message about how important being optimistic is to how we live, the level of enjoyment we get out of life and in everything we attempt to do, struck a chord in me - and, I'm already a pretty darn optimistic girl. Remember, I drive home with the top down despite the black clouds because it isn't raining until I'm wet! 

So Life is Good. We've had the bumper stickers on vehicles we've owned over the years. I sent the one with Jake in a yoga pose to my mom the year she discovered yoga. I've got the hats and a t-shirt or ten, and I plan to buy the one with Jake in a Kayak (Go with the Flow) the day we pick up our new kayaks. But today I'm thankful to know more about the two brothers behind the Life is Good company and the company behind the charity.

I also want to share a piece of what Bert Jacobs shared with me at Hanes today with you. You see, at the end of yesterday's session we were all invited to this gift, courtesy of Jake and Rocket...

I took it to bed with me last night and read it through just before I turned off the

light. It made me smile. A lot. And, since I want you to smile too, I am offering to

send my copy to one of my readers. To enter, leave a comment telling me which of

the Life is Good slogans and/or graphics speaks to you. If you cannot pick just one,

then list several. One winner picked on Friday morning. I hope it's you. If you can't

wait to win, you can buy the book here. All profits go to the Life is Good Kid's

Foundation. Buy one or several to share. Let's spread the spirit of optimism! 

CONTEST CLOSED

Winner is:

Al from California!

The legal stuff: I was not compensated for this post. Life is Good did not ask me to write about them, invite you to Like them on Facebook, and I didn't catch one of the cool, Life is Good disks Bert tossed out during his presentation today. I've just been a fan of the Life is Good message since I bought my first bumper sticker at Mast General Store in Boone, NC on the day we delivered the Ranger to ASU in 2006. Having heard Bert Jacobs speak today moved me to spread his message of Optimism with you - Because that's what friends do! 

I'm sharing this post at I'm Loving It on Tidy Mom