A Thought on Happiness

There is no magic recipe for being happy. Everyday will not be easy either and many days, frustration or sadness may cramp your mood. Trials are only for a time - some endure while others subside quickly. There is no magic potion to bring happiness. Voodoo can not bring happiness, but prayer can bring peace of mind.

Keeping balanced within the day takes a lot out of us. Some times we want to scream, curse, kick something or somebody or just walk away. We can't always get that justified result because we may lose a friendship, a contract or a job or go to jail.

Material things will be a short justification but they fade and can't talk to you or keep you warm at night. In a 24/7 world, happiness may just be a short-lived thought or daydream. Peace of mind and balance seem more real but some days, we all know these are not even realistic as we try to maintain finances, keep families together, build communities and nations and pursue multiple careers.

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Happiness on the Job

Happiness on the job does not mean a perfect job. It may be the job that's outside your field, that you may be overqualified for or are underpaid and underappreciated.

However, going past the basic needs of a clean work environment, water and basic tools, employees need to know that they contributions are appreciated even if their suggestions are not always implemented. Supervisors need to listen to the people in the trenches and sometimes walk in the trenches to understand the day-to-day runnings.

Gossip is a killer on the job and so is micro-management and backbiting. I have worked in the midst of all of this and it is no pleasant. I will never tell anyone to be the 'yes man' and never refuse an assignment. You have to say no and stand up to your peers and supervisors when needed. People are always looking for a scapegoat, a gossip partner, a news carrier or work horse. Living as one of those person does not bring happiness on the job. Instead it brings misery.

Lack of teamwork brings a lot of negativity. However, the team can only be strong if the manager has that motivating and inspiring attitude that can get diverse people to work together. When we focus on differences we can't get any work done.

Happiness on the job for me means that the team has each other's back and can achieve success amongst conflicts. There will be conflicts and challenges everywhere in life. Never feel that happiness means that nothing can go wrong. Only babies are allowed to live that way because parents or other adults are there to foster their needs.

Try to avoid or sidestep the negative on the job. Focus on getting the job done and even if you are not treated well, still perform to the best of your ability until you are able to solve your troubles or move on to another position. Afterall, we are only set to be in one place for a time. At some point we will be moving on - preferably forward!