Annabel Shilton

Happiness

By May 31, 2012November 13th, 2020No Comments

Today I’m reflecting on happiness…

 

It is something we search for but how often do we really attain the state of happiness? For some of us it may be a fleeting feeling or a regular state. It may be combination of pleasure, contentment, helping others, feeling gratitude, having a purpose and living our values every day. It is a desired state, one which we constantly move towards and only we can know if we attain it. 

 

Love what you do and do what you love

 

Happiness at work is critical to our personal wellbeing and self-esteem. A recent survey, “The state of workplace happiness Survey 2019” found that 42% of people were unhappy at work and cited feeling anxious, stressed and even depressed. Poor leadership, lack of teamwork, feeling disempowered, feeling stuck and working long hours all have a negative effect. It is well known that people don’t leave workplaces they leave poor managers.

We are so often defined by our career, our job and our status but how often do you hear people say “I love what I do and I can’t wait for Monday to come around”? Doing a job we enjoy and are energised by is a key contributor to the state of happiness and wellness. Ask yourself “Is my work/career helping me live my purpose; am I living my personal values at work and do I have work/life balance? Do I feel empowered and motivated to do my best work?”

If not, then maybe this is the time to take that new path towards happiness to enable you to feel happy, valued and worthwhile.

 

Step onto the tightrope and the safety net will appear

 

Have you ever dreamed of leaving your current job to do something different that truly makes your heart sing? 

Changing jobs or careers does get harder to do when we have commitments such as supporting a family, paying a mortgage and maintaining a certain lifestyle but if we are not happy then it can eventually damage our confidence and self-esteem. Having no joy and fun in what we do can be deeply damaging …. We spend many hours a week at work and a lifetime working so are you working to live or living to work? 

Finding the courage to walk away from your job and do something different or change career is not easy. It takes bravery, self-belief, determination, a growth mindset and commitment to making it work. There are two base motivators in life – “towards pleasure” and “away from pain”. Often it is the latter which kicks in to motivate people to find a new job or career. We are living in challenging times and now may not seem the best time to consider starting afresh. However, this could be the catalyst for personal change because the world is changing around us and therefore so is the workplace. As the old ways of being and doing disappear and our personal work values are shifting, new opportunities are emerging. How can you navigate the changes to get the best result for you? What do you need to see and do differently? Can you start creating your new reality now? 

 

Be in charge of your change and don’t be a victim of it

 

Setting personal goals, exploring opportunities dreaming of what could be and discover what is possible, are all part of the journey and one which will change your life for the better.

Support from family and friends, sometimes making small steps or taking big leaps, listening to your innate wisdom, playing to your strengths, using your key skills and believing in yourself are essential components to creating the change you want to see. 

Doing your best work is not an option its essential to creating the state of happiness and wellbeing.