Count Your Blessings–At Work

They don’t pay me enough and my boss is mean and oblivious! Yes, I felt this exact way. (Though I didn’t tell my boss that.) Have you ever felt this way too? What I know, now, is you can feel one way when you are in a situation, then feel a very or slightly different way once you are out of the situation. To this end, before you decide to up and leave that job, reflect on these three things.

REFLECTIVE MOMENT 1:Take a look at what you do have and write it down.
WARNING: Don’t focus on what you don’t have or what you WISH you have. Only focus on what you currently have with your employer. In my situation, I wrote down lots of benefits that I do have. I had flexible hours, great health insurance, and student tuition payback options which are a MUST for my life goals and health situation.

Not sure where you should start? Here is a list to help you start writing. Only write down the benefits you do have working with your current employer. Leave the “don’t haves” off the list. Here are some examples of benefits
• Flexible hours
• Great teammates/employees
• Company/Institution with integrity
• Free meals
• College/Tuition reimbursement
• Health Plan
• Life Insurance
• 401K Match
• Great work shift
• Volunteer opportunities I can relate to
• Professional growth opportunities in my role
• Professional growth opportunities in my company
• Good pay
• Holidays off
• Overtime opportunities
• Electronic reimbursements
• Leave benefits
• Employee protection benefits (substance abuse, dietary support, other counseling, etc.)
• How your current work hours (shift) benefit you
• How your current role allows you to operate in your purpose

REFLECTIVE MOMENT 2: See how you can help change the environment.
Now, this is the part you’ve been itching to reveal. Believe it or not, completing Reflective Moment 1, allows you to see deeper into the reason as to why you want to leave. If you have a lot of benefits associated with your job, there has to be an even bigger reason why you want to leave.
For example, one of the most valuable points is, “How your current role allows you to operate in your purpose.” Think about how you can operate in your spiritual and professional purpose to effect the bigger picture. For example, is your spiritual gift administration? Can you start by offering to give organize and plan team building events or recognition? Is your gift knowledge? Then start by offering to help on board new additions to the department by helping them better understand what their role entails. Are you a teacher? Start by offering to teach your team something new every two weeks. Make sure the skills you offer to the bigger picture aligns with your strength, your purpose and your enjoyment. Trust me, your company will be happy about it! And because you are operating in yiur purpose, you will be happier too. Though you may not be paid for this particular role, if you are empowered to do live in you purpose with your current employer, then you may have a growth opportunity with the company or have the ability to build your skills for future endeavors.

REFLECTIVE MOMENT 3: Not until you consider steps one and two, then and only then should you seriously consider leaving.
If you’ve found that you indeed are in the right place for right now, then congratulations! If you’ve completed Reflective Moment 2 and 3 and discovered you have only two to three benefits with your employer and you have the inability to operate in your gifted purpose, this may mean you are unable to identify the gains of your role and you are unhappy. Know that being unhappy also brings negative effects to your physical help. (I will discuss in another post.) Consider another role or another company, with care. Network. Reach out to friends for insight. Consider joining LinkedIn to view and be viewed for job opportunities. Join my network on LinkedIn.com/in/HopeLeNoir for regular employee tips and discussions. Keep your strengths/purpose, skills and employee benefits in mind and growing while searching.

I wish you a career of happiness, growth and much success! Have questions? Ask them below.
Hope LeNoir, Owner, Author, Speaker, Coach
Rise and Fly ©, LLC