Feeling discouraged at work these days?
There may be a myriad of problems that may go on at work, leaving you to wonder what you whether it’s time to find new employment.
Before you explore those options, consider creating a hit list. Gratitude hit list.
Don’t keep score of what’s wrong: Counting score will only keep you bitter; robbing you of resources best used to achieve your career goals. Consider keeping a record of your experiences, lessons learned and people you’ve interacted. A gratitude journal can help you gain new insight into your career.
Keeping a journal can help you re-frame your experiences into growth lessons. A journal is a perfect tool to help you sort through your career experiences and bring clarity.
How to Create Your Gratitude Journal
Your journal should be easy to use and access.
The first step is to decide the journal you want to use. Your journal can be a hardcover, a spiral paper notebook, use word processing software or an app.
Next, start writing.
What part of your job are you thankful for? How has the job helped you? If unideal, does the job serve its intended purpose? Pay your bills? Gain experience?
Figure out the lessons you’ve learned through your job. Consider the new skills you’ve uncovered.
Has your job connected to new opportunities? The pivotal people you met through your work. Reflect on the experiences in your job that taught you more about yourself.
Don’t forget to thank your employees’ help to carry out your company’s mission.
Document your successes. Express your gratitude to those who help you. Include the lessons learned.
Record your career shortcomings. Are you thankful for the insights those experiences presented?
Write about work challenges. List resolutions to problems. Should you elicit help from your co-workers? Study the lessons the problem presents to you. Did you learn from the experience? Write about it.
I’m a firm believer that everything that happens is a life lesson. It’s your responsibility to find the lesson in your experiences. Use your career as a tool for achieving your purpose.
Do It Now: Create Your Gratitude Hit List
List those persons who helped you become the person you are. Include those persons who were mentors. Those people may be former employers, friends, coaches, even authors of books that changed your life.
Once you create your hit list, make it a point to thank those people. Write a note, send a card or email. If possible, thank them in person.
Are you in a position to give your employees a bonus? Instead of a bonus, you could give gift cards, pay for lunch, or give tickets to an event. These gestures of gratitude will strengthen your work relationships.
There may be many things wrong at your company; But when you view your job in a place of gratitude, you may rid of any bias you may have toward the situation and gain greater clarity.
Thankfulness is a choice. When you are thankful for your experiences, you are open to exploring overlooked possibilities.
Make a daily habit of writing your gratitude hit list. You’ll see opportunities that you may never see if you focus only on what’s wrong.
