Do This for Immediate Job Satisfaction

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:36:20 +0000

I had an enlightening conversation with one of my clients recently. When we began coaching, she shared that she did not get along well with her boss. My client never felt supported by her, and felt that she thought my client was doing a poor job. It had become so bad that my client began to question her own abilities. Weeks later, I checked back in with her on how she was now feeling about their relationship. She shared with me that she doesn’t worry much about her boss anymore since, after all, they only speak once a week over the phone and her boss works from a city 100 miles away. I was shocked! The way she had previously been talking, I imagined the boss was constantly popping into my client’s office, looking over her shoulder and micromanaging. In reality, she never saw her in person, and only spoke to her about an hour per week by phone. My client allowed her boss to have an enormous amount of power over how she felt about her job, and therefore spoke about her as a constant presence.

What helped my client see things differently was taking back responsibility for her own happiness. When you need a person or a situation to change in order to be happy, it’s a sign that you’ve given away your power. To take it back, ask yourself what you can do to improve your experience. It might mean having a conversation with someone or setting a boundary. It could mean minimizing time spent with people and on tasks that drain your energy. In my client’s case, it required nothing more than a change of perspective.

When she began to look for what was right about her relationship with her boss, she saw how limited their interaction actually was. In fact, she barely had a boss! She could see how lots of people would love to have that much autonomy. The next time you find yourself wanting something to be different, ask yourself, “What is right about this situation?” You might not need it to change after all.

To your success!

Allison

Deadly Consequences of an Unhappy Career

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:49:51 +0000

Over the weekend, I heard a very sad story. I went to a business workshop, and the trainer began by relating to us the story of his father. His father was a child during the Great Depression, and like many, he went into the family business. He was a butcher. The problem was, he hated it. Our trainer could remember being a little boy and seeing the strain his father was under and how unhappy he was. But, he felt stuck because he had a family to take care of, and it seemed to him that he had no other options. He always said he’d rather die than go on being a butcher, and a few years ago his wish came true. He died of cancer.

This story is tragic because it didn’t have to happen. When you believe you can create a better life for yourself, and decide you’re going to find a way, forces begin to collaborate in your favor and opportunities appear. While today people are waking up to the importance of enjoying your job for a full and happy life, earlier generations sometimes saw work as only a means to an end. As sad as it is that many of them missed out on much happiness, you can see their sacrifice as a huge gift. Their lives can serve to inspire you to take control of your own career happiness so that you pass on to your children not only a roof over their heads, but also the permission to do what makes them happy. And they learn that from watching you lead a happy life yourself.

Job stress and unhappiness can take their toll on your health, relationships and career success. If you find yourself unsatisfied in your career, I invite you to check out my free report, 101 Ways to Be Happy at Work – NOW! In it you’ll find concrete steps you can take today to create a joy-filled career. I also offer many affordable coaching packages if you find you need more guidance and clarity. Visit the Coaching page to learn more.

To your success!

Allison

Career Change Coaching and Resources » Career Happiness

Do This for Immediate Job Satisfaction

Deadly Consequences of an Unhappy Career