How to have a great week at work – even if things aren’t quite going your way.

Do you feel that things just aren’t “going your way” at work?

If you are in a pattern (at least once a week) of coming home from work and then talking about all the bad things that happened that day with some innocent and gracious soul who loves you enough to listen to you – then you just may be in a rut of seeing things as “not going your way”.

“Not going your way” may also look like the following:

• you don’t think you’re paid enough
• you’re not getting the results you want from the people around you
• you’re not getting the credit you think you deserve
• you’re not getting the “sexy” projects
• you think you work too many hours
• you don’t have enough happy customers

Instead of accepting any of these scenarios as evidence that things are in fact “not going your way”, could it instead be an opportunity to…

… have an experience that could give you greater relatedness to others?

… acquire or advance your knowledge, experience, or savvy in some way?

… do more with the authority, resources or knowledge you already have?

… do things differently than you planned which might lead you to a result beyond anything you can possibly imagine? (is it true that you are “no good at/sick of” your job – OR – are you “no good at/sick of” doing it the way it has always been done)?

… detach from a confidence-draining need for evidence that your contributions are only legitimate if you receive approval from others (especially from superiors)?

There can be a ton of reasons we may not be happy with our work.  But often it’s because we feel blocked (for whatever reason), from freely and safely giving our fullest abilities.

In my last blog, I talked about how when we are focused on what others are not giving to us, we are often guilty of not fully giving what we have to offer to others.  True happiness at work (and in life), comes from understanding how we make a difference for others and then actively taking advantage of opportunities to make that difference (without regard for what we might get in return).

So for a moment, forget about what everyone else around you might be guilty of.  Instead, imagine that YOU are being called to put what you can do out into the world on a bigger level.  What would that look like at the job (or within the life) you have right now?

Ask yourself:  “What am I holding back on giving to others who are impacted by my actions at work”?

An easy way to uncover an answer to this question might be to identify one thing you wish others would give to you.  Would you value – honesty, compassion, empathy, effort, care, fun, _____________ (fill in the blank).

Once you identify the quality you decide to give to others, look for an opportunity to give that quality to others – even if it’s only once a day.  Not sure once a day would make a difference?  Well – what difference would it make for you if another offered you that quality even once in your workday?

Wishing you a great week at work!