Yes, I just did a Ren and Stimpy throwback! That just happened! Lately I've been hearing a lot of talk about being happy. Yahoo did an article this week about happiness in the workplace (I know, apparently it exists! Haha!). They surveyed people all across the country to find out who were the happiest with their jobs. I don't remember who was number one...probably people who work for Google! We've all gotten those emails with the amazing pictures of Google workers taking naps during the day, getting massages at work, bringing their dogs to the office, playing pool and ping pong, etc. DUUUUH! Who wouldn't be happy going to a cool job like that everyday?! Sorry, I didn't mean to make you even unhappier with your current job situation. :) But don't feel bad; I do remember that engineer was not on the list for happiest employees! ;)
I've been trying something new this week to stay positive and just be all around happier, and it is actually working! So for those of you who have jobs at Google or just truly love their job, you can stop reading now, this article is not for you. But for those of us normal people with just regular jobs, I have some advice for you. Get ready! What I'm about to say may totally knock your socks off!
1. I know this may come as a big shock to you, but we all have to work. There, I said it. I know, I know, it's not fair! But unless you are a trust fund baby, or a celebrity, or one of the seven people who get to split the $319 Mega Million jackpot (that's $45.6 million each!), then you have to work. So first you need to realize that you're not alone, and you need to accept the fact that you need money to live, and the way to get that money is to work for it. Once you have accepted this fact, the rest will come much easier!
2. I don't care what Yahoo says, most people are not overly thrilled about waking up early and spending at least 8 hours a day away from home for a majority of the week. In fact, I bet most people get to work at 8 AM on Monday and are already counting down the hours until 5:00 on Friday. I <shaking my head in shame> used to be one of these people. That is until my super smart, wonderful husband brought something to my attention...If you spend your life like this, you are wishing away 71% of your year!!!! Let that sink in for a minute. I don't know about you, but the days are seeming to fly by quicker and quicker already, and if you start wishing away a big chunk of your life...you're going to wake up one day and you'll be 70 years old and wonder where all this time went!
3. So, stop wishing for it to be the weekend. Every day (whether it's spent working or having fun) is a blessing! I think it's a good idea to just focus on each day separately...try not to worry about tomorrow and don't dwell on what happened yesterday. Live today and while you're going through the day try and focus on the good, little things in life that are happening all around you. It may just be an email from a friend you haven't heard from in a while, a funny joke a coworker told you, the beautiful spring flowers blooming outside, finally getting blinds installed (sorry, that's what I'm excited about right now!), a good dance song on the radio...whatever it may be, if it makes you happy, then enjoy that it to the fullest. Focus on those little things all day long, and before you know it, the work day is over and it's time to go home.
Your job is just your job...everyone has one. But while you're at work, life is happening all around you, and if you think about the good stuff, then the mundane work week will just kind of sail along. And before you know it, as Rebecca Black so eloquently says "It’s Friday, Friday! Gotta get down on Friday!"
I'm going to leave ya'll with a quote I think sums up everything: "Some pursue happiness, others create it." Create your own happiness today and see how far it takes you!
