Lately I’ve been thinking of the pain that I’ve been through at all my jobs. From co-workers to bosses to tedious tasks. Each experience has helped create me.
There are some days where I miss standing for 8 hours a day checking people’s items out at K-mart. It was a job that wasn’t suited to me at all, but I miss the relationship building that I practiced.
There are some days I miss pulling heavy wire or trying to squeeze a wire down a wall to get power to a ceiling light.
There are some days I miss my cubicle. Sharing such a close space forces a person to interact and share funny stories.
We all have our painful days, but this just comes with every job. Even working for yourself brings just as much pain in a whole new way.
What pain are you enduring right now?
Try to step back and imagine the person you will be in 5 years floating over your body right now.
What does “future you” think about this pain? Can your “future you” look at this situation as a emotional building experience?
This little imagination technique always helps me.
* Are you on Twitter? Then join over 2,800 people who get my stress relief tips, happiness ideas, and thought provoking quotes. @workhappynow
* Gretchen Rubin over at the Happiness Project wrote a cool piece on reading. It’s called Twelve Tips for Reading More. If you are a big reader like me, you’ll find this post very helpful.
If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:
I must admin: I love your cartoons! 😀
And it’s true. We definitely learn from those experiences that may not have been suitable jobs for us. However it’s a great way to reframe and look at it from a “future you” place.
I love it!
Great post, Karl! I always try to give context to whatever discomfort I’m feeling, especially at work. The phrase, “…but at least I’m getting paid to do it” usually snaps me out of any sort of whining I may revert to in my head. That is, unless the discomfort is so unbearable that no amount of rewards could subsidize it.
I think it is important to acknowledge when we don’t feel the happy feeling we would like to have (any discomfort, pain), just as much as it is to acknowledge happiness.
Any pain or discomfort, for most, moves us to grow and move beyond. It is the natural human instinct to avoid pain. Hence, when we feel it, we can be called or moved to find a new way for ourselves. For example, having a tedious job, eventually will make most people seek another way. And this is good, it makes us grow in so many ways.
Hi Karl! Great cartoon – and the message about pain. To me, when I’m in pain I know for sure I’m to learn something right then and there – like Tess, I’ll journal about it. Most of the time it is a signal from within me somewhere telling me to change something – location, or perhaps just my attitude!
Karl,
Love the cartoon. I always ask my pain-physical or emotional,”What are you trying to teach me.” I get an immediate answer most of the time. If I don’t I’ll journal.
What would my future self say,”I told you things would work out great.”
mmmm. great ideas. I had a job a few years back that was so hard…I cried almost every day after (and heck, before) work. And what it did for me was to say, “In 7 years, I want to wake up and feel elated and in love with my job.” It has been my conviction and drive every day of self employment and budding entreprenurialship(sp), I have 4 years to go to my goal, and I have no doubt I will make my goal. In many ways, I already have. Thank you or reminding me to reflect on that old job…it gave me the gift of the strength necessary to make changes.
Hi Nathalie, Thank you. I love the concept of creating a piece of art/cartoon from a white sheet to a finished product.
Reframing is one of my favorite techniques. With a lot of work I’ve been able to apply it in almost every difficult situation.
Hi Megan, Putting things into context helps us adjust to the present situation. There is always some glimmer of a positive in every circumstance.
Hi Evita, Growth is so very important in our careers. I think that it’s even more important than the work accomplished. Most of us fail on a regular basis if we are challenging ourselves. It’s using these failures to make us smarter, stronger and happier that makes all the difference.
Hi Tess, That’s a great technique. It’s almost a kind of prayer to check in with the universe. Man, I really like that. 🙂
Hi Suzen, Good way of looking at it – a signal from within. There is a reason we are feeling a feeling. The best way is to just listen and not force the issue. Would you consider writing a guest post on this idea? I think you would be perfect fit for this idea.
Hi Katie, Sometimes we do need to remind ourselves how good we have it right now. Having a 7 year plan is a good idea. You aren’t too pinched for time, but enough time to get a lot done.
Hi Karl,I really love your cartoon. I always think that the man who drawing cartoon is a person who has BIG LOVE and is humourous. I will be back. Thank you!