Remember when it was what you wanted?

Coming to you from the road today!

We are en route to our first camping trip in our new travel trailer! So am going to hit publish on this post and then unplug for the next five days.

In the meantime, some food for thought.

Every job you have or have had in the past is something you wanted.  That you applied for or chose to accept.

You put a resume together, waited for the phone to ring, stressed over the potential interview process and then when you finally got the call for the interview, you were completely freaked out but excited.

Post interview, it was the waiting game all over again and then BOOM! You get the call. Job is yours if you want it.

Yes! It’s amazing! SO exciting! Call your mom, your dad, your partner, your best friend, whoever your person may be!

Flash forward six months, or a year, or two years and you fricken hate that job.

You sit and complain all day long about how terrible work is.   Can’t stand half the people you work with.  Everyone is so negative all the time.  The workplace is toxic.  Ughhhh why are you stuck with this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad job. (Alexander anyone?)

It’s a funny little conundrum isn’t.  We want things. So badly.  We get them.  We get sick of them.  We hate them.

Why does this happen? And more importantly, what can we do it change this?

My dad told me once, that I couldn’t just quit every job I didn’t like.  I distinctly remember looking at him, and in my early twentysomething know-it-all voice saying: “Watch me.”

Cringe. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I have worked many jobs in my life, and most definitely said I didn’t like almost all of them.  So, the burning question of the hour is – was it the jobs or was it moi?

Looks like I am going to have to own this one.  It was me. And this terrible attitude I acquired over my life of ‘work sucks’.  Work is what we make it, and I chose for an unfortunate number of years to decide work was something that I hated.

So what, my friends, can I do to help you avoid years of unhappiness?

Take a few minutes to reflect and remind yourself WHY you wanted the job in the first place.

Was it for the money? What has this job afforded you to be able to do?

Was it for the experience? What have you learned that you can take with you to either progress within the company or make the choice to move on?

A few other questions for reflection:

Is the environment really THAT bad? If yes, then it’s time to go.  If you are possibly being the negative nelly, then check your attitude and adjust accordingly.

Are you perpetuating the negative environment by complaining? If yes, then stop.  Decide if this is somewhere you want to be employed long term, and if so, then be proactive.  Take steps towards shifting the tone of the office toward the positive.  Get involved or talk to the boss and see how you can help increase the camaraderie among the team.

Is it a decent workplace but you just choose to be the dead weight dragging everyone within a five-cubicle radius down? If yes, also, stop.  Stop being too cool to dress up on Halloween, take part in the staff golf tournaments, or singing along when it’s someone’s birthday.  When did we become so resistant to HAVING FUN?

 I used to put my nose up at staff events, and I honestly have no idea why.  Whenever I did participate, I had a blast and it also made going to work the next day more enjoyably as well, laughing about the night before. 

The physical job itself is not always (if ever) going to be fun, but if we can take the time to get involved and build some solid friendships and connections in the workplace it can become a place that you don’t loathe.  Because how sad it that? And what is the ripple effect of being negative all the time?  

Sometimes I would slouch way down in my wheely chair, lean my head against the back rest, while looking up at the ceiling and moan “I can’t.  I just can’t” Whether I was talking about responding to emails, returning phone calls, or going to help a customer, I was over the top. So unnecessary and bad for morale.  

Today’s take aways:

Legitimately toxic workplace? Get out.  

Not so bad, just your negative attitude? Make a choice. Stay and endeavour to shift your attitude toward the positive or move on but do it with presence and don’t fall into your old traps of being the negative nelly at a new job.

Have you ever been the one dragging the team down?  Hit reply and let me know. I’ll get back to you when I’m back on the grid.