Are you happy at work or do you turn up every day wishing you could be somewhere else?
My bet would be that most people would say “Claire, I wish I could be somewhere else!”
It would certainly be my answer, but sometime it’s not possible to be somewhere else.
Quit your job and follow your heart!
You often hear well meaning people say “Just quit your job, follow your heart and the money will flow in!” But we all know it’s not quite as simple as this. I would love to think it is, but unfortunately for most of us we need a regular income to keep a roof over our heads, food in our mouths and the bills to be paid.
I have been following my heart with the Happy Art since its launch in June 2013. If I hadn’t kept my part time job, which is roughly 27 hours a week, I would be a hell of a lot skinnier by now (hmmm now there’s a thought!).
I’m not at all fussed about my part time job; in fact I have been doing the same tasks over and over again for the past five years. There are days when I don’t want to do it anymore and it feels like my soul is literally shrinking as I walk into the office. It’s on these days that I can be quite vocal in expressing this to my work colleagues.
I realized last week how damaging this can be, not only to me, but also to my team. The more I whinge and complain the more gray clouds I create and before I know it I have dragged everyone into my low pressure system.
The fact is I need my part time job so I can pursue my passion. My job allows me to take the pressure off the Happy Art to provide me with a full time income. This means I get to enjoy my passion fully.
So how can you remain happy at work when you know is not your passion?
Here are my top three tips.
Tip One: Focus on the things that are good in your job
Reflect on the job you are doing right now. Are there some things that make it ok. For example I work with an awesome group of people, I have flexible working hours, the pay is good and the events I organize make a positive difference in the community. These are the things I need to focus on to remain positive.
When you focus on the good stuff you create positive emotions and these positive emotions literally open up your mind. An open mind is willing to explore more possibilities, be more creative and ultimately more successful.
What are the positive elements in your current job that you could focus more on?
Tip Two: Try to weave your passion into your work
My goal in life is to create a happier world one person at a time. Everyday I walk into the office I can put this into practice by making sure I am ‘adding’ to a person’s day instead of ‘taking’ away. Every time I whinge and complain I am taking away some happiness from that person. But if I turn up to work ready to give 100%, ready to listen, ready to help out and ready to be the best person I can be, I am spreading happiness. If you want to be happy, make someone else happy.
Tip Three: Stop fighting and let go
I realized my self-talk about work was very negative. I was fighting against everything I had to do, when really I just had to let go and get on with it. What you resist comes back at you with equal resistance. But if you yield and let go, the resistance has nothing to push back against.
If you are not prepared to leave your job, then accept that you are going to be there and make the best of it. Why waste your time feeling miserable, life is way too short to do this.
Are you guilty of bringing the gray clouds into your workplace on a consistent basis?
If so, it’s time to make a change. Make it your mission this week to blow the gray clouds away and instead bring sunshine into work with you.
Monitor your self talk and become aware of how many times you complain to your team mates during the day. The first step to change is self awareness.
Put at least one of my three tips into place and see if you can spot the positive difference. I am certain your team mates will love this brighter version of you.
Be happy, colour the world.
Claire
