I hear you.
I know exactly what it feels like to be stuck in a job that makes you feel like your life is going nowhere.
The very worst part is when you cross the line between "I can do this for a little while" and "OMG I can't take another painful day at this place!" Suddenly getting out of bed becomes near impossible and you feel so drained at the end of the day that there's no energy left for anything else... especially looking for a job that fulfills you and leaves you excited for more (what? that's possible? yes).
So what do you do?
Not to worry. As an experienced job hater (I worked many jobs before launching a fulfilling career working for myself), I have some simple tips and tricks to help your days become more enjoyable, leaving you with the energy to manifest the perfect position (or career) into your life.
How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything
The concept behind this one is that you need to go pro in your life. What does going pro mean? It means that you treat every aspect of your life, and day, like it's your profession and you're number one in that field.
When you wake up in the morning, you brush your teeth like a professional tooth brusher. When you prepare your breakfast, you do it with the care and attention to detail that you would if you were going to serve it to a customer at a restaurant. When you get dressed, you get dressed like being totally put together and attractive is your job.
And when you show up to work? You show up as a pro. You do the best work that you can, with a positive attitude and a smile on your face. Why? Because how you do anything is truly how you do everything. You want to be in a positive state of mind, giving your absolute best and ready to take on any challenges when that perfect opportunity shows up.
I promise that if you take just one day and go pro, you're going to feel energized and amazing a the end of it! You'll feel as if you've made a difference, done significant work and looked your best while doing it. And when you make it a habit? That's when synchronicity and miracles begin to happen.
Practice Gratitude All Day Long
Get yourself a little pocket notebook and pen that you can keep with you all day. When something happens at your job that frustrates you, take it out and write down three things you're grateful for about this experience. I know it sounds impossible, but do your best.
For example, if you're in customer service and you encounter an impossible-to-deal-with customer who makes you stressed out and ready to quit, bust out the notebook. One positive thing could be grateful for is that he had been chewing gum and at least he wasn't blasting you with garlic breath while yelling. Or, maybe you liked his sweater and he was generally well dressed. It doesn't matter, the point is to find three positive things about the situation.
A negative mindset spells dead end in your life. Don't go there! Be grateful that you have a job and can pay your bills. Practice gratitude in each moment that you can and you will soon find that more and more truly positive experiences and opportunities are arriving in your life.
Do One Thing That Moves You Toward Your Dream Career Each Day
Whether you're still in school, trying to land a dream gig or trying to start a business, do one simple thing that will move you forward each day. Get online and send an email to someone that you want to connect with. Update your resume, research ways that you can get your foot in the door in your market, work on your vision board or network through social media.
The act of taking one small action will help you feel like you're moving, because YOU ARE! Don't let the fact that you're working at a job you hate keep you from taking action. Make a list of little things you can do to move forward and start doing them every day!
And if you're one of the lucky ones to have a day job with downtime, utilize it! Do research, take an online course, network on Twitter or Facebook. This will also eliminate that painful feeling of being "stuck" that jobs often create.
Trust That This Is Temporary
Sometimes we have to detour from our field or chosen path. It happens to the best of us and you're not any less of a person or talent because of it. This job IS temporary. Trust that! So long as you put into practice the tools I've laid out above, this job will become less painful for you and you will begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Take Action Now!
Tell me three things that you're grateful for about your day job.
They can be anything. And those of you that are past the dreaded day job phase, share your tips and insights in the comments below! I know I would love to hear your own experiences and advice! xo
Stephenie Zamora is the founder of www.stepheniezamora.com;, a full-service, life-purpose development, design and branding boutique. Here she merges the worlds of personal development and branding to help young women build passion-based businesses. Click here to download her free guide, "The Unexpected Trick to Transforming Your Life With ONE Single Question."
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