“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you are stuck in a job that you dislike and you’re feeling unhappy at work, I want you to know that you have the power to do something about it. You have the power to take charge of your current situation and bring happiness back into your life. And hopefully, these 3 things will help you achieve just that.
3 Things You Can Do If You Are Unhappy At Work
1. If you don’t like your job, change it
Change your job, change your life. Like everything in life, if you don’t like your job you can always change it. You can always remove yourself from the situations that are not meaningful nor fulfilling to you. It can be scary I know, but keep in mind that short term pain will bring long term gain and if you are not happy with your job right now you will have to change it because if you don’t, you will not be able to be happy with your whole life, and you will become resentful towards yourself and those around you, living a life full of regrets, pain, and anger.
Remove yourself from your job if it’s not meaningful and fulfilling, remove yourself from your job if you are unhappy with it and trust that there is something out there that you can do better than anyone else, and know that without your work – your meaningful contribution, the world will not be complete. Have some faith in yourself and the very wisdom that created us all, for I am sure nobody was sent here on this planet to be average and stuck in a job they don’t like.
“Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do the things you need to do when you need to them, and the day will come when you will be able to do the things you want to do them!” ~ Zig Ziglar
2. If you’re unhappy at work and can’t change your job, change your attitude
It’s not always easy to just leave a job that we don’t like because we all have these earthly responsibilities – mortgage, college fees to pay, car payments to make, etc., and of course, let’s not forget about the basic needs – food, clothes, etc. But until you manage to find a better job – a job that’s meaningful and brings you joy and fulfillment, it helps to change your attitude toward your current job.
Attitude is everything. And you have no idea how much a positive attitude can help, and how happier we will become the moment we decide to look at the bright side of things, and trust me, there is always a bright side.
“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.”~ Francesca Reigler
3. Keep your dreams alive
It’s so important to keep our dreams alive by trusting that, just as Walt Disney so beautifully said it:
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” ~ Walt Disney
No matter where you are, no matter how horrible your job may be and no matter how much you hate going to work every single day, if you manage to focus on the things you want by keeping an eye on your big, bold and beautiful dreams, you will find a way to attract into your life the right thoughts, people, and circumstances that will help you find, or who knows, even create a better job.
Keep in mind that every experience has something to teach you. So instead of being bitter, angry and resentful, choose to be grateful for the lessons you are being taught.
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” ~ Buddha
And these are 3 simple yet powerful things you can do if you’re unhappy at work. I would love to know if any one of these 3 has ever helped you, at work or simply in day to day life. You can share your comment in the comment section below 🙂
~love, Luminita💫
P.S. Always remember: If you don’t like your job, change it.If you can’t change it, change your attitude. And that will most definitely create some wonderful things in your life.
Comments
Luminita D. Saviuc
Luminita is the Founder and Editor in Chief of PurposeFairy.com and also the author of 15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy: An Inspiring Guide to Discovering Effortless Joy. For more details check out the 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy Book Page.
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19 Comments
shammy pius
at 2:41 pm
Thank you for all the wonderful articles. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist here in California and i use your articles with my clients often. So helpful.Shammy
Truth is
at 6:50 pm
*hours not yrs
Truth is
at 6:40 pm
I am going thru this right now. Very unhappy and cannot pretend to be happy for 8 yrs :((
MIke
at 12:10 pm
I agree with you Dee. I think it would be irresponsible for me to just quit my job which pays and provides good benefits just to be happy. I have wife, kids in school, etc. I would be even more unhappy if I couldn’t provide for them. My prayers for your successful job search and positive attitude.
Nancy Fairbrother
at 8:50 pm
If you have a job you hate, or have to get a job you hate, work on your dream job during off hours. Eventually you will realize your dream. You won’t realize your dream unless you work at it. There is value in every experience if you accept it.
Shinigami Mae
at 10:05 am
I totally agree with this. Being happy is a choice. People are scared of change, but sometimes change is the answer to all that wining 🙂
wanda liz
at 5:55 pm
My daytime job sucks, I feel like part of a very big problem. But when I’m able to help someone despite of the overall negativity, I feel like all the sadness has been worth it! Even if it’s a small thing, but find something that makes you happy and can help you overcome between gigs. It can make all the difference.
Anthony Calvoni
at 10:13 pm
I am in the nutraceutical industry and helping people with their goals to live a healthy lifstyle. Also, I live that belief system.
I am currently working, but looking for a company I can grow, be rewarded and not fulfilled.
Like to send Resume- I am in AZ
Andy
at 8:06 pm
I agree with this. I think it’s important to think of your long term goals but also to look after yourself in the short term, and the second sentence is very true .. and changing your job is not easy if, like me, you’ve made some bad choices and are not best suited to the 9 to 5 job market. 14 months of unemployment is not something I want to go through again. Some people are very good at finding jobs but I am not, and as much as it’s important to change your attitude, it can and often does take time for things to come to fruition.
Dee
at 12:54 pm
I happen to agree with this posting, however, I do find it to be a joke when she says just change your job. I’d like to see her emailng, calling, faxing and interviewing for the jobs that are out there today. I have never seen it this tough and I loved my job when I lost it over a year ago. I was and executive for the last 25 years and I lucky I can get an interview in my field of work right now. As for the other points. I agree I am trying to change my attitude, I have become very cynical about the world over the last year. No one will help you unless you help yourself.
jerileigh siss
at 10:59 am
Like all of us, I used to bust my hump for someone else and get paid what they wanted to pay me. An opportunity presented itself where I could not be my own boss, but where I could get healthy and give those in my life get healthy as well. And the company is growing leaps and bounds and has been featured in SUCCESS from home magazine! I made the choice to make a chance and am happier and finally sound!! AND WE ARE HIRING EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!
anita
at 7:54 am
It is not easy to change jobs, it is scare, but it is also sad, scary etc. to be unhapppy. It is all about attitude. Find something outside your job that will make you happy..hobbies, sport, volunteer for charties, etc. I have been in a job for 5 years that I did not enjoy and kept on look for something new, and it has finally arrived. Starting at a new place 1 June. But in the last 5 years it has been a constant fight with myself to stay positive. It is posible and it is a choice!
Roscata
at 6:59 am
I wish I could change my job, but there is nothing i can do, there are not so many jobs on the market so i could choose something else.
glengriffinsr
at 6:47 am
Ricky Raw is right. I have had lots of great jobs and some I had to like. Now I don’t have a choice or a job. All the philosophers and motivators in the world can’t help you when you can’t provide for yourself and people say “get a job.” I say, I’ll take any job you got. Now what?
John
at 5:37 am
This blog post is a well stated, helpful reminder. Thank you.
danaadmin
at 4:01 am
If #1 cannot yet be applied, #2 and #3 will be wise to do until you will be able to put #1 into practice also 🙂
T. AKA Ricky Raw
at 5:46 pm
She didn’t say it was easy. Just that you had to do it. Or at least try.
Look at #2 on her list: “If you can’t change your job, change your attitude.” In that title she’s making it clear that some people won’t be able to follow rule #1 about changing their job, that it’s not a solution that everyone can follow. So #1 is a perfectly fine rule because it’s followed by #2, which covers what to do if #1 works out.
Regardless of whether or not it’s easy, what’s the alternative. Just repeat your story about how hard it is and use that as an excuse to not try to change your job at all?
Since #1 doesn’t meet your criteria for useful, what would you replace it with? Would you skip a rule #1 altogether and just advise people to follow #2 and #3?
Cynthia
at 3:22 pm
I love this post. I am currently very unhappy with my job and I am applying for new jobs everyday. So far, I am still at my job, so I am changing my attitude. It is working wonders.
Waegook Tom
at 2:22 pm
Gotta say about the “Change your job” – no way is it as easy as you make it out to be, especially in the current job market. Not having an income for a month can be the difference between living on the edge, or having your lights turned off, not enough food, or eviction.
The other two points are good, but the first…not so much IMO.