Wisdom is Knowing What God Wants

Where to start?

One of the beauties of living alone is you can do whatever you want.  For about a month I’ve been having some serious conversations with God.  Every time I realized that I was just having this stupid nonsense conversation in my head with myself about much of nothing I would immediately start talking to God…just like I was talking to someone in the house with me.

I felt like Job or one of the other folks in the bible…letting God have it.  It might seem irreverent but my relationship with God has gotten to be close enough where I’m okay questioning God.  I think having a Black Folder has gotten me that way…and how can you have a relationship without asking questions…and tough questions?

God what are you doing?  What is going on?  Why are you opening doors and then closing them shut?  What exactly do you want?  Just tell me what you want me to do?  Where do you want me to go? I’m sick of trying to figure it out. Why the mystery?  GOD – WHAT DO YOU WANT?

On and on it has gone for over a month.  Day in and day out. Then, God comes back with:

I want you to get out the way. YOU are in my way.  I can’t do what I want because you keep doing what you want.  I’ve BEEN trying to get your attention.  I’ve BEEN trying to see if you’ve learned anything yet. I’ve BEEN trying to see if I can trust you and use you to do some of the stuff I want to do. It’s been years. How much more of the same do you need?  Are you ready to move on? Are you ready?  Are you? So, yep, you are exactly where I need you to be, asking the right question, to the right source,  at the right time.

When you get here with God it ain’t no joke.

So, I thought maybe I needed to pick up a spiritual text since I’m having this conversation (fight) with God (yeah I started to get a little nervous and thought I should show  more reverence).  I have plenty of spiritual texts in my house from every major religion.

So, I asked God, did I need to read something, and God said to pick up the Bible. Now, that seems like such a simple request, but it was NOT.  I have an entire treasure chest (literally a treasure chest) of Bible and Bible Related Books from my days of what I call my “15 years of Sunday, Sunday, Wednesday religion'”.  I felt I’d read the bible so many times and knew the bible stories and the psalms and the proverbs. But…I was just trying to get out of God’s way, so, I picked up the bible.  I actually picked up two bibles and put them by my nightstand. One was the Kings James version, which I started reading but it took me back to those 15 years of ‘institutional religious mind-numbing book, chapter and verse finding the proof text to prove you’re right yet lacking inclusion, compassion and the spirit’. So…then I picked up the  The Illustrated Bible which is written in a tone and intent of trying to apply the bible to your life.  All the while I was thinking:

oh, has it really resorted to this? Really God? Aren’t you bigger than one book?  Please tell me that the last 7 years of my life of my spiritual journey has not been a wild goose chase. Are you serious that the answer to what you want  and how I can get out of your way is in the Bible?

I wasn’t proud of thinking that, but it is what I was thinking.  I could not hide that for God. I knew God already knew what I was thinking…so…I just went on with reading the bible at night before I went to sleep…hoping, wishing, thinking that maybe God would let me read something and then personalize it in my dreams that night.  I was just trying to find the answer to what God wanted. BUT…the answer to my question WAS in the Bible.  I needed WISDOM.  There it was this one simple yet profound line:

WISDOM IS KNOWING WHAT GOD WANTS

I had never, ever, ever, ever seen it written like that. It was like a bright light, a signpost, it was a direction to go in, it was something to seek…WISDOM…

 

It’s taken me years to Learn to Ask For Wisdom  if I Want to Know What God Wants.   And why wouldn’t I want to know what God wants?  Why would I go another second, minute, day not wanting to know what God wants?

Next Question:  “Okay God, How Do I Get Wisdom?”

Answer:  “You already know the answer to that.  You need to get back on the Meditation Cushion. Yes, walking daily and doing a walking meditation is good…but I need you to truly quiet your mind and your body so that I can give you wisdom.  

Then I thought back on another post and the video about  How and Why To Meditate“…wow…then I ran across this the other day… The Daily Habit of Successful People…confirmation that no, my 7 year quest has not been in vain…meditation is one of the tools to know what God wants and align yourself with that…success is relative…but misery is not.

Meditation Provides The Key…but…

Knowing To Ask For Wisdom Points You To The Door

Next Question:  “What happens God when my thoughts, words and deeds are aligned based on Wisdom?”

Answer:  “You shout it from the roof tops and you Tell Others…and when you tell them let them know it’s not you, but it’s the God in you…and don’t you forget that…don’t take credit for ANYTHING from here on out.”

*********************************************************************

My mother knew Wisdom, so did my father.   They both knew and I thank them for helping me to Seek Wisdom, yes I thank them both. I can feel and hear my mother mostly (maybe because it’s coming up on a year since she’s been gone).  She’s saying: Rita I’ve crossed over…I can see you Rita…Just let God do it…God is everything…God knows everything… God is in everything…God WANTS to do it…Rita Just Let God Do It…Seek Wisdom Rita…Seek Wisdom Rita…Seek Wisdom Rita

Just Quit Your Job Survey Results - June 2013

Total of 212 Responding

22 Countries

	Flag	Country	Total
		United States	137	65%
		Canada	22	10%
		United Kingdom	17	8%
		India	8	4%
		Australia	6	3%
		Singapore	4	2%
		Philippines	2	1%
		Malta	2	1%
		Nigeria	1	<1%
		Malaysia	1	<1%
		Netherlands	1	<1%
		Saudi Arabia	1	<1%
		Slovenia	1	<1%
		Kuwait	1	<1%
		South Africa	1	<1%
		Denmark	1	<1%
		Colombia	1	<1%
		Bahamas	1	<1%
		Egypt	1	<1%
		Finland	1	<1%
		Hong Kong	1	<1%
		Jordan	1	<1%

United States  –  33 States:

	STATE	TOTAL	PERCENT
	California	25	18%
	New York	12	9%
	Massachusetts	8	6%
	Illinois	8	6%
	Ohio	6	4%
	North Carolina	6	4%
	Colorado	6	4%
	Virginia	5	4%
	Connecticut	5	4%
	Arizona	5	4%
	Texas	4	3%
	Pennsylvania	4	3%
	New Jersey	4	3%
	Florida	4	3%
	Minnesota	4	3%
	Washington	3	2%
	Wisconsin	3	2%
	Georgia	3	2%
	Maryland	3	2%
	District Of Columbia	3	2%
	Indiana	2	1%
	Tennessee	2	1%
	Iowa	2	1%
	Nevada	1	1%
	New Mexico	1	1%
	Oregon	1	1%
	West Virginia	1	1%
	New Hampshire	1	1%
	Louisiana	1	1%
	Arkansas	1	1%
	Delaware	1	1%
	Maine	1	1%
	Michigan	1	1%

 

Why Are You Thinking About Quitting Your Job Without Another One?

• 		Been at the same company 11 years and going nowhere. The work is not at all challenging, and so much is expected of us (with little in return). I don’t care about the product we make or the work we do–it does not inspire me at all. I detest Sundays, and just struggle through each week until I can make it to the weekend.	Yesterday, 12:00AM
  		I hate my job. I literally hate it. I’m miserable there. I spend long hours stuck in traffic, driving from appointment to appointment (I work in home health care). I’m overwhelmed by the number of clients that I am expected to see. My boss keeps pushing me to see more and more people and I already feel that I can’t keep up with the number that I’m expected to see now. I spend countless hours in the evening and on weekends writing reports and answering emails. I feel like my job is taking over my life. Sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe because I am just so stressed and overwhelmed. I don’t want to get up in the morning because I don’t want to go to work. I just hate it. I have never had a job that made me this miserable. The worst part is that I’m not even making good money. My boss is completelely underpaying me and profitting off of me. I’ve been looking for months and can’t find another job. I’m just worried that if I quit I won’t be able to find something else.	Friday, Jun 28th 6:58PM
  		Because everyday I feel sick at going in there is constant people talking about me I have panik attacks and cannot sleep worrying that everyone hates me I also have gone into myself I’m not the happy confident person I used to be.	Thursday, Jun 27th 4:32PM
  		Set up for failure	Wednesday, Jun 26th 11:32PM
  		It’s stressful, I don’t like what I do anymore, I don’t like most of the people I work with, not paid enough for what I do, taken advantage of, hate the hours	Monday, Jun 24th 7:18PM
  		I have been a contractor for almost three years and I want a permanent position within the company. The Director and Manager of my group have known that I’ve wanted a permanent position for almost a year but they have failed to move on it or address it to me.	Monday, Jun 24th 7:09PM
  		Because I am bored with my job, it’s not in the field I am passionate about.	Monday, Jun 24th 12:31AM
  		Job has become stressful and a lack of leadership in management.	Sunday, Jun 23rd 11:16AM
  		My work has no purpose, helps nobody, and I don’t believe that the organization really cares about the results. They are simply interested in getting grant money from the government and have no intention to use that money to develop a product. I also don’t think the management has any idea what they are doing.	Saturday, Jun 22nd 11:43PM
  		I am miserable every day I hate going to work monday I hate that I never see my husband I hate my hours I hate my customers	Saturday, Jun 22nd 7:01PM
  		I feel stuck in my job and my career. I’ve been plotting this years ago, but I was waiting to get some things I needed (loans, a surgery paid trought the healthcare, etc).Now I’ve got all I need. It’s time to quit and start over.	Tuesday, Jun 18th 4:45PM
  		The job I have is making me sick.. physically sick just thinking about being there makes me ill. It’s where hard work is ignored and politics are constantly at play. It’s a place that discourages development and growth of its team and encourages “top down” mechanics under the guise of being a company run on new age defining principles. It’s a place where I feel creatively stifled even though I have a creative role. I have no desire to work within the field I’m in anymore and there is so much more to life that I have true interest in.	Tuesday, Jun 18th 12:12PM
  		I hate the micromanaging bureaucratic culture. I also especially hate waking up in the mornings. I don’t want another job because it will just be the exact same thing as the one I have.	Tuesday, Jun 18th 1:08AM
  		I psychologically can’t handle working with sales. The downs in sales, makes me feel worthless.	Monday, Jun 17th 2:38PM
  		I am not good at my job. I hate going to work. I am always late at work. The work is boring. My boss work on my nerves. I hate presentations. I have no passion for my work. I am not keeping up to date with my profession. People expect me to be an accounting expert whic I am not. I am not doing my job. I want freedom. I want a new career. I want to wake up late in the morning. I want a job for which I have passion. I want o be an expert in my job. I want the freedom to travel for long periods. I want to spend my time reading. I want to feel alive. I want to stop feeling anxious.	Monday, Jun 17th 1:03PM
  		I have more important things in my life that work. I do not deserve to be treated like shit and be unappreciated at my place of work. My job has caused serious healthy issues for me. I do not get sick days or vacations. I can still do whatever I want and no worry about money for over a year.	Sunday, Jun 16th 4:48PM
  		Hate the profession Don’t find it works with my values Don’t think it works with my strengths Makes me feel low Takes away everything I like about myself	Saturday, Jun 15th 10:41AM
  		Ah actually, I did quit. I’m taking this survey out of curiosity. After almost fifteen years in manufacturing I’ve only managed to work my way up to $15/hr. I am intelligent, well spoken and extremely well written. I am analytical, capable of complex abstract thought, have keen spatial visualization and problem solving skills. I could only take so much of being reminded these things by co-workers and engineers without due compensation. The final straw came when I was passed up for a gainful opportunity within another department which I was an ideal candidate for, because of my apparent value to my current department. That was it. It was already bad enough that I didn’t love my job, being overlooked in lieu of a lesser qualified candidate because my manager would not let me go was a direct insult to my integrity as a human being.	Friday, Jun 14th 2:00PM
  		I want to change career field and staying at current position which is so demanding and not enjoyable I hardly find time to pursue my interests in new career field. However I try my best but staying at current job is just not an option anymore.	Thursday, Jun 13th 11:31AM
  		Things I Hate About My Job**1.)I hate how I have to cover everyone else’s time off when I can’t ever seem to get enough for myself. 2.)I hate sleeping all day and working all night. 3.)I hate the wannabe military atmosphere that permeates here. 4.)Im sick of the facility—all stairs, being hot, being cold. 5.)I really hate the stupid heavy boots that I have to wear. My ankles are in serious pain every day. 6.)I hate most of my co-workers with their military wannabe attitudes and the supervisors who all look like they were the nerds in school and are taking out their past torture on everyone. 7.)I hate hearing about how great we have it here and how we are all lucky to even have a job—would you tell an abused woman that she is at least lucky to have a boyfriend?. 8.)I hate how my vacation was accepted then denied a week before I was supposed to leave. 9.)I hate stairs. 10.)I hate the loud obnoxious alarm testing I have to do every night. 11.)I hate having to work 12 days straight without a day off, then get one, then work another 6 straight. 12.)I hate working 12 hour shifts whenever they tell me to. 13.)I hate my supervisor’s ridiculously serious attitude about the job—it really isn’t that serious and the way you let them treat you is undignified. 14.)I hate sitting in a quiet office with nothing to accomplish other than the occasional mouse click. 15.)I hate how condescending the management and employees are. 16.)I hate how the job has taken over my thoughts even outside of work. 17.)I am tired of the stomach aches and pains, the headaches, the back pain, the depression, the mood swings, all because of this job. 18.)I hate how there is a “click” of co-workers/supervisors that always get time off, and I don’t—on top of that they always somehow get rewards for good performance…. 19.)I hate the shitty computer systems we are stuck with. 20.)I hate the following words: Sir (most hated word), Captain, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Egress, CSO, SOPs, Sierra, Alpha, Egg, Mat. 21.)I hate how we have to wear a one piece jumpsuit and how my underwear rides up my ass constantly all shift. 22.)I hate how when I leave in the morning, I have to be back the same friggin day. 23.)I hate third shift and what it has done to my complexion and weight.	Thursday, Jun 13th 5:19AM
  		The job is too frantic and I often cannot get one thing done without being dragged away to something else.	Wednesday, Jun 12th 9:15PM
  		Because I hate working in fast food and I feel miserable just thinking about it. I get abused by customers and the management there is terrible. I want out. Straight away.	Wednesday, Jun 12th 6:22PM
  		I hate my job. I think I hate my profession. I feel under-utilizied, under-appreciated.	Wednesday, Jun 12th 3:30PM
  		It is a terrible, hostile, and unorganized work environment.	Tuesday, Jun 11th 10:52PM
  		Lack of direction in the current company. I see no future for the company or myself.	Tuesday, Jun 11th 1:58PM
  		i hate my dead end job where there is no recognetion or appreciation	Tuesday, Jun 11th 2:33AM
  		If I don’t quit I will be fired so I’m trying to do the not so worst part even though both are bad.	Tuesday, Jun 11th 12:47AM
  		Job doesn’t interest me .. Field doesn’t interest me . Don’t see myself anymore with this company. Work life balance is completely out of whack . I live in a country and my wife and kids in another . I can’t sleep at all! I am stressed , spaced out and miserably down all the time. I lost my faith in myself	Sunday, Jun 9th 9:58PM
  		I hate my boss. He is verbally abusive, constantly harasses me, and is making my life hell.	Sunday, Jun 9th 4:02PM
  		Yes I need to quit	Saturday, Jun 8th 11:21AM
  		This job has turned me into a sad horrible person. I used to be so awesome and now I feel like nothing.	Friday, Jun 7th 6:24AM
  		i am so busy at work that i don’t even have the time to look for anther job unless i quit my current job	Friday, Jun 7th 12:03AM
  		I work in call center in collections and middle age,mother of three I am not doing very well at my job because i don’t enjoy talking a lot. ,every morning before I go to work i have butter flies in my stomach, am I going to do a good job or not,I ask my self why I can’t be multitask er just like other people. taking notes at the same time while i am offering pmt options. I am job hunter and studying part time. Basically I am god gifted artist ( oil landscapes, sketches, portraits, etc) I always wonder how can make living out of this profession.Every evening after work I pray that tonight should be my last day at work.but don’t have another job,so i don’t quit.even if I quit will I get ei benefits By reading your article I felt like this is my story.	Thursday, Jun 6th 10:25PM
  		Because my boss is impossible to work with. He’s arrogant, condescending, and passive aggressive.He blames me for EVERYTHING even if it’s not my fault and then, when it turns out to be a glitch with the software or when it turns out to be HIS fault, then, suddenly, it was no big deal. He has MANY MANY MANY rules that are difficult to abide by because the rules continue to change. What was okay yesterday isn’t okay today. He’ll say one thing and then say the opposite. Or he’ll claim to have told me something even though he hadn’t.He lies and exaggerates deadlines if I need the day or afternoon off for appointments. I get no medical coverage, no benefits, no sick days, no vacation days.	Thursday, Jun 6th 9:24PM
  		I have stayed in this job because i needed the income to support myself and my partner. He has got a job now however it is some distance away the commute seems silly 2hrs for a job in a company that doesn’t treat their staff well or help develop people further in their careers	Thursday, Jun 6th 1:02PM
  		Stressed to the point of being sick. Undervalued. Overwhelmed with feeling of out of my depth. Wrong company -small, no structure, no support, feel ignored, don’t know what’s needed of me, feel isolated. I clock watch, time drags. Fear of failure. Poor money (half what I was earning 5 years ago). Longer than usual hours. Unusually tired.	Thursday, Jun 6th 3:48AM
  		I’m at a glass ceiling. The job is boring. They have not had a raise in 5 years at this company. I feel that life is passing me by.	Wednesday, Jun 5th 8:29AM
  		I’m miserable and don’t want to do this job for the rest of my life.	Wednesday, Jun 5th 7:29AM
  		I hate it	Tuesday, Jun 4th 11:39PM
  		Company culture does not support the unit. Or me. Affronts my values. I don’t respect my boss. She chooses not to trust me.	Tuesday, Jun 4th 7:08PM
  		After six years with my current employer I am starting to feel like I am going in circles. I am not really in a good position to advance because I work remotely and yet I am one of the longest employed marketing professionals in my segment of the company. I find I don’t have the patience for the interactions. They feel meaningless. We are doing neat things as a company but I don’t feel like there is any celebration of what we do. Criticism is just heaped on top of criticism and there is always some opportunity that we missed that is reason for disappointment. I don’t really believe anymore that the path that I am on is right for me. Maybe it was two, three, four years ago. But I am back in the same place that I have been several times and I am left wondering when will it be enough.	Tuesday, Jun 4th 6:02PM
  		Breach of contract No support	Monday, Jun 3rd 10:38AM
  		I am so unhappy. I go to bed dreading work the next day, I wake up in a bad mood because I have to go to a job I hate. The hours are long and boring. We have no benefits. We hit a ceiling in pay, which I’m already at the most I can make and its not that much. I’m also in school and feel like life has been sucked out of me by the time i get off that I have no energy to devote any time to school work. This list goes on.	Monday, Jun 3rd 10:20AM
  		Because I am miserable there.	Monday, Jun 3rd 3:08AM
  		It is crushing my soul.	Sunday, Jun 2nd 10:41PM
  		Because my job is unfufilling and it makes me even more depressed… its not worth it i wanna kill myself when i think about having to waste 8 hours there each night	Sunday, Jun 2nd 12:28PM
  		I’m depressed, anxious, stressed, and contemplate suicide at work. I’m physically sick from the depression, anxiety and stress, and being sick at work only makes the mental problems worse, which starts a cycle. My boss is an asshole with unrealistic demands. I have to do all of my work, plus extra, plus clean up my co-worker’s half-assed job.	Saturday, Jun 1st 12:28PM
  		The type of work that I do, I am not happy with. At the end of the day I do not have a sense of satisfaction or gratification that I did something meaningful or worthwhile. I am in a position where I scam customers for their money in return for very little to them. I do not “help” people in a way that I want to. I wear a suit and tie and I clean cars in 100+degree heat. I did not go to college to do this and I deserve so much better. I work 50 hours a week and I am physically and mentally drained from work. I do not spend time with family or friends like I used to and I have a very bad attitude because all week I take nothing but bullshit from customers complaining over nothing. I bend over backwards to make them happy and make my managers richer while my pay check stays the same. I need to do work where I am helping others in a positive fashion and where I can make a difference. My efforts need to be apart of the “bigger picture”. Working at this company is horrible, the working conditions, the business practices they teach us, and the terrible management invasion of privacy is something I absolutely hate. I need to find something else!

Gender –

Female: 65.52%  Male: 34.48%

 

Income Levels						Percentage
Under $50,000						58.05%
$50-000 – $100,000						33.17%
Over $100,000						8.78%

 

The 10 Steps to Get Prepared to “Just Quit”?

Are You Prepared To Quit? Check Those Things That You Have Already Done

					COUNT	PERCENT
Thought About How This Decision Will Impact Your Family/Spouse/Children					173	14%
DECIDED to “Just Quit” – You May Not Know The Date, But You Have Made The Decision					154	13%
Thought About “The Story” You’ll Tell About “Just Quitting” (While Between Employment)					142	12%
Have a General Idea or Specific Plan About What You Really Want to Do (Without doing this you’ll probably get stuck again doing something that makes you miserable)					139	12%
Saved or Have Access to Enough Money for 6 Months for Basic Expenses					136	11%
Thought About How You Will Celebrate When You “Just Quit” – How Will You Feel That Day – What You’ll Do That Night & The Next Morning					106	9%
Completed A Spreadsheet To Find Out How Long You Can Go Without A Job					99	8%
Determined the Actual Date You Can “Just Quit” (This is Your “Just Quit” Date)					97	8%
Talked to Others Who Have “Just Quit”- Listened to Their Stories/What They Did (Note: You will not find many people who’ve had the courage to do this. Most people stay stuck or wait until they find another job.)					81	7%
Written Your Resignation Letter (You MUST do this and give proper notice. NO EXCEPTIONS.)					80	7%

General Comments From June 2013 Respondents:

General Comments – Please feel free to add any other comments

		Thank you for this very helpful website!	Friday, Jun 28th 6:58PM
		Your posts helped me make my mind! thank you.	Tuesday, Jun 18th 4:45PM
		i need a boost to do something better in my life	Thursday, Jun 6th 10:25PM

Just Quit Your Job Survey Results - May 2013

“I’m depressed, anxious, stressed, and contemplate suicide at work. I’m physically sick from the depression, anxiety and stress, and being sick at work only makes the mental problems worse, which starts a cycle. My boss is an a–hole with unrealistic demands. I have to do all of my work, plus extra, plus clean up my co-worker’s half-a–ed job.”  ~Comment from a Worker in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

As I was analyzing the stats from the survey and preparing this post the above comment came in around noon on June 1st.  Since this came in in June it would not have made the May 31st cut-off, BUT go back and re-read that quote. It depicts the depths of pain that people are in today.  Remember this when you walk by someone at work or on the street. Depression Caused by Job Stress is Real and Can Cause People To Contemplate Suicide.  This is a very serious situation.   If you are a someone who can help me identify resources  – not to make a buck off of people, but for FREE – just to help people who are in this particular situation and suffering, please get in touch with me.  

Yet another month has passed. For some people EVERY workday is a struggle to just survive. Hopefully this survey and it’s results will help bring light to this plight of today’s workers – who are, as it seems from the survey results, experiencing this all over the world.

If you’ve never been there  –  where you want to quit your job without another one, no matter what – then you can  not truly understand this particular pain. For those who are currently experiencing this – know that you are not alone and most importantly know that this will end and you will survive this time in your life and in your career. For those of you who love someone who is in this pain – understand that this is real and try to support your loved one in their decision even though you might not understand.

Summary of Survey Results Ending May 31, 2013:

This months’ answers to the question: Why Are You Thinking About Quitting Your Job Without Another One?

• I can no longer take the verbal or physical abuse from this position.
• Makes me hate life. makes me bitter, very mind numbing. no future.
• The fit is just horrible and my anxiety and stress is unbearable as a result.
• Because I hate it!
• Because working conditions are unbearable, making me sick. I also feel like I am being deterred from following my dreams I can’t afford to waste another minute that can be used to pursue my dream. There is something out there better for me than the present; a more promising future.
• Not inspired by what I’m doing
• Working very hard and achieving nothing
• Don’t agree with the strategy or lack of strategy on the work and how it has been put together
• The company has no strong work ethic ethos, lots of people doing the bare minimum
• No transparency in pay
• Often projects are under resourced meaning that we fail to delivery quality work on time
• I want to write graphic novels and scripts and paint portraits and stories
• I’m moving and can’t handle additional transportation costs. My current job is also actively worsening my depression.
• I am thinking about quitting my job for several reasons:1. I am tired of getting up at 5:15 every week day.2. I spend 2 hours a day on the road 3. I do not have support of administration in trying to do my best to educate students.4. I have been moved 3 times in 2 years. 5. I find myself unable to do anything at the end of the day other than come home, eat, watch t.v. and go to bed; no energy left over. 6. I am ready for a change.
• Organizational changes resulted in my being pushed into a lesser role than I had previously.
• I don’t enjoy what I do and need the time and stress-free experience to find out what I truly want to do. The enjoyment of the job is no longer there and there is no motivation to try and excel at what I’m doing. It has crept over into my personal life, making me less happy as a person overall.
• Because I start to panic on Sunday evening when I think about going to work on Monday. Because I stay up as late as possible to postpone the inevitable. Because I feel like a fish out of water at my job. Because I have been getting sick frequently, gained weight, and have skin problems because of the stress. Because I stopped caring about the things I used to enjoy. Because I truly don’t want to do anything in the evenings or weekends because I’m just so exhausted from my job.
• No passion, the job is not my fit. I am miserable in it. The job is not working for me.
• I feel like the job I’m doing now it’s not taking me anywhere, it frustrates me always. I think it is time to let go and move forward
• Because my job is very stressful and I feel I get treated unfairly
• Very unhappy and feel like I should be doing more with my life. I am tired of working for someone else and literally dread coming into the office everyday. I literally hate my boss and tolerate her only because I have too but each day it gets harder to do and I feel very strongly that if this is how my life is going to be I’d rather not be in it!
• I will be financially secure with the help of my fiancé. The job I’m at causes me to feel stuck and unable to take life by the reigns spiritually. I feel it is a dead-end job and I have used up all the resources and mental structure building that it can provide me. I am able to confidently take away from this job acquired knowledge as how to better speak with people on all different mind sets and situations. It has helped me gain more patience with people and better listening skills, along with empathy. I feel that now while working at this job it is keeping me from pursuing more attentive time devoted to helping loved ones and friends. The energy that I have to better assist others is exhausted at work and mentally I run into road blockage in pursue of achieving these goals outside of work.
• I hate my job.
• IT FXXXXXX SUCKS AXXXXXX (admin – removed profanity)
• I do not like working in a cubicle and I am not passionate about what I do. I feel stuck and unmotivated at my job. I am just doing it for a paycheck, and I don’t even need as much money as I am making. I feel there are more fulfilling and enjoyable job opportunities out there for me. I want to be in the right mindset before looking for jobs, so I am going to quit, take a month off, and then look for another job.
• It is an unhealthy, abusive environment for me. I find myself in tears one way or another related to the job I take as many vacation days as I can just to avoid having people yelling at me all day. I have already had one breakdown because of this and I consider doing physical harm to myself every day just to find ways to get out of a day of work. I dread coming in every day to the point where I am generally late…. which only adds more stress. This job gives me migraines and other server health issues due to stress that have started manifesting more and more frequently. In addition to that I have extreme and lasting emotional duress due to this job… it is a very negative job and I’ve been doing it so long that when I have time off there is a noticeable difference in mood and attitude towards life in general… which I have noticed is seriously hindering my ability to not only look for new work but to look like a positive loving candidate that will be able to contribute to another company.
• I am frustrated with the job.
• I am just a helping boy at the job. Handicapped job profile. Irritated with the working culture.

• Because I am done with stressing and coming to work everyday, where I feel why I have to see my boss. I hate being ordered around, and that’s what my new boss does
• I know this job is not my passion. I feel strongly that although I do not have the business plan lined up, I need time to develop the ideas and to generate the creativity to make it worth everything. I have a boss who is abusive and there is little room for success and mobility. I’m stuck.
• 12 – 14 hours a day plus 3 hour commute, toxic boss, work stress causing health issues
• I am not happy. I am unable to sleep peacefully. My health is degrading.
• I feel unappreciated and humiliated at work. I don’t care to about learning insurance and my skills as a therapist are becoming less and less relevant. I hate being talked down to and yelled at by clients and providers. I hate that my time is micromanaged down to the minute and it’s starting to overflow into my personal life. I am in physical pain everyday, and have become so depressed that my appearance has changed. I don’t like what I see in the mirror. I am depressed on the weekends just thinking about having to go into work on Monday and am completely drained on the weekends. I’m too tired, discourage and too depressed to look for another job, and I’m afraid that they will notice that I look depressed and not offer me a job.
• I really hate my job, the work atmosphere is very negative, and it’s a long commute. I cry driving home from work; feel sick all weekend especially Sunday because I have to go back into work Monday. I feel work is all about the next mistake, not about how well you do the job.
• I do not like what I do. I feel empty inside. I feel like my life is a waste. I could be doing something more meaningful and important.
• I cannot seem to get the clarity and focus to even figure out what I am passionate about. It seems to me I just may need to remove the stress, and tension that the corporate grind promotes before I can really move in the right direction.
• Want to focus on another career path/field.
• My job is making me dull and unimaginative. This is not the job I want to do. It makes me sad when I wake up in the mornings.
• I am ready to quit because the workplace is incredibly toxic. There is no work life balance and my bosses don’t give me clarity on my job.
• I feel unappreciated and undervalued, my boss does not listen, it is manual, the data entry is killing my arm, I pulled my side muscle lifting boxes, the boss is always making snide remarks about someone, and I got my past co worker a job and it has been a hell hole since.
• I am not happy
• It does not feel like the right job

Stats After Four Months of Gathering Data:

Total of 144 Respondents (13 in Feb; 17 in  Mar; 55 in Apr and 59 in May)

Gender:  (has almost always been a 60/40 split):66% Female, 34% Male

Income Levels: (even though most make under $50k the comments about why folks need to quit are about poor job fit, abusive supervisors and toxic work cultures)

60% – Under $50,000

32% – $50,000 – $100,000

8% – Over $100,000

Locations: Top 3 countries:  United States 64%; Canada 13% and Europe 9%

Total of 15 Countries Responding: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Finland, Malta, Philippines, Singapore,

In May we  added: Kuwait, Bahamas, Egypt, and Hong Kong

United States Stats: Top 3 States Responding: California, New York and Illinois

More than Half of the United States of America is represented with 31 States: California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, D.C., Arizona, Connecticut, Colorado, Washington, Iowa, Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, Nevada, Minnesota, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, and New Mexico

In May we added: Virginia, North Carolina Tennessee, West Virginia, Arkansas, Maryland and New Hampshire

The 10 Steps to Get Prepared to “Just Quit”?

1. 54% have completed a spreadsheet to find out how long they can go without a job (you don’t HAVE to do this spreadsheet, but it helps to see exactly where you are financially.  Most people stay stuck because of financial obligations.  If you do the spreadsheet, figure out how much money  or assets that you have EVERYWHERE – it might surprise you what resources you have.)
2. 71% have saved (or have access to) enough money for basic expenses for 6 months (having this cushion frees your mind considerably to be able to make the decision…if you are here then move to step 3 and figure out what you want to do)
3. 71% have a general idea or specific plan about what they really want to do (This is where most people get stuck again, trying to figure out what they are good at.  For this step start with thinking about when you were a child and what you excelled at.  If you can’t remember ask who ever was there to help raise you – mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles.  What you are looking for are your natural aptitudes.  What comes naturally for you?  What is your natural expression?  Sometimes as we get older this gets sucked out of us just by sheer life and obligations or we think EVERYONE is good at the thing that comes natural to us so we don’t see its value.  If you can’t figure out what turned you on as a kid then find a hobby.  If you don’t have a hobby – find one this week. Yes I know this is a tall order while you are depressed, but just try.  All we are looking for at this point is some of your natural talents to come forth.)
4. 76% thought about “the story” they will tell about “Just Quitting” (while between employment) – (You could be out of work for one week, one month,or one year, but rest assured  folks are going to ask you” “What do you do?”  You need to have a ready prepared positive affirming statement of what you are going to say.  There is some great  new research on a social science technique called Story Editing – it’s a key to Just Quitting –– use it — )
5. 42% talked to others who have “Just Quit” – (No matter what that person’s “story” is, it will let you know that if other people can do it, did it and survived then you will too. It only seems insurmontable but you’ll get get over, under or beyond this challenge.) 
6. 88% have thought about how the decision will impact their families (- BUT – don’t let that stop you from moving forward just factor it in your decision.)
7. 81% DECIDED to “Just Quit” – May not have the actual date, but have made the decision (it’s just a decision, but one you have to make, you don’t quit before you DECIDE to quit…just make sure it is a calculated decision and not rushed)
8. 58% have determined the actual date that they can “Just Quit” (this is when you mark it on your calendar, on your phone, get a countdown widget and count down the years/months/weeks/days — it’s liberating and something to look forward to which makes the days you are still in your job more bearable)
9. 40% have already written their resignation letter (You don’t want to submit it yet, but have it ready to go.  This will activate the universe to help make it a reality.  It’s like it “downloads” a program and things start to sort themselves out.  Just imagine when you download a program to your computer or phone  — writing this letter and reading and re-reading this letter – sort of gives the universe (God, the Source, Infinite Wisdom) the signal to start the wheels in motion — it signals that you’re ready  – it helps you to be able to walk out that door for the last time).
10. 55% have thought about how they will celebrate when they “Just Quit” (Start thinking about this now because this “creates” your new life…you can be a part of co-creating YOUR life as it is unfolding.Don’t wait until you’re out the door, that’s too late and within two weeks you’ll be BACK to depressed asking yourself Now What?)

General Comments From May 2013 Respondents:

• I’m going in circles and feel if I don’t quit soon I’ll go nuts
• I have dreamed about starting in a new situation. Also, I have had people share they are praying I will find a new job.
• I recently graduated college and was extremely lucky to land a decent-paying job within 2 weeks of graduation. And now that I’ve been working for a while, I regret not spending more time discovering who I want to be and what I truly want to do. The job was almost given to me and I felt pressured to accept. Now I’m stuck with the thought of blinking my eyes and being 30 with the same boring job and now real life experiences to say that I have genuinely enjoyed my time.
• It’s going to be hard without a job but it is a chance I’m willing to take. This survey is going to help me do the right thing for myself
• Currently going to school for a different profession.
• I am an artist. I am capable of creating so many different things. I don’t have a business plan, but I’ve seen plenty of artists take their art and open businesses, freelance, while using marking savvy and the web (I have a handle on these things as well) to grow their business. I know I can do it, but haven’t taken the leap of faith. Those around me do not have the same confidence in me.
• I am so miserable at what I do and have lost interest in my job since day 1!

If You’re Still Reading This It’s Probably Because You’ Feel Hopeless in a Miserable Job…Don’t Worry…You’ll Get Out of This…One Morning You Will Wake Up…JOYFUL

How to Be Happy In Your Job and In Life

Warren Buffet Said It Best: Find Out What Turns You On

Joseph Campbell Said The Same Thing:  Follow Your Bliss

So How Do you Find Out What Turns You On and  How Do You Follow Your Bliss?

I found an interesting assessment called the StrengthsFinder 2.0.  Seems from my research that the assessment gives you your top five strengths but then leaves you hanging on how to use them. Here are the 34 talents that they discovered that people can have.  You can start by just looking for your top 5-7 and then trying to make sure your current or next job  or project or business includes your top strengths.

The point is to figure out your strengths and then use those strengths to Do What Turns You On and Follow Your Bliss.  Seems simple but it will take some effort on your part.

Let Go of What You Know For Sure Is Not Making You Happy

Have Courage

Just Quit

 

 

 

Just Quit Your Job Survey Results - April 2013

For All Those Miserable In Your Job — It’s Just a Wake Up Call — Have Courage and ANSWER THE CALL

Summary of Survey Results Ending April 30, 2013:

85 Respondents

Gender:

65% Female

35% Male

Income Levels:

58 % – Under $50,000

33% – $50,000 – $100,000

9% – Over $100,000

11 Countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Finland, Malta, Philippines, and Singapore

Almost Half of the United States of America is represented with 24 States: California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, D.C., Arizona, Connecticut, Colorado, Washington, Iowa, Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, Nevada, Minnesota, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, and New Mexico

Comments to the Question –  Why Are You Thinking About Quitting Your Job Without Another One?

1. I have nothing but contempt and feel as if my life is being wasted
2. I am thinking about quitting my job without another one because I need clarity. I spend so much of my life working or in school and worrying about if my decision to quit will affect my entire family. I know I need to take some time off to find some clarity, but I get so nervous that I always talk myself out of it. My brain is fried and my body is weak. I just can’t take the fact knowing that I am still working in hell.
3. Because this job is such a spiritual emotional and integrity disconnect and I fantasize about escape every day and I can’t breathe.
4. I’ve been incredibly happy the past few years. I started by taking jobs that no one wanted to do in my department in order to “pay my dues”. Now I’m doing the job I had thought I wanted but I’m still unhappy. The staff has changed since I first started out, and my boss who mentored me is gone. My bossy co-worker is my new boss and doesn’t have any idea of the weekends, evenings, happiness I sacrificed in order to get here. He doesn’t trust me to do my job without looking over it, and requires everything to be just so. There is no room to grow in this department, and I feel as though I’m not developing any skills in my profession. I don’t enjoy the work, which also has tight deadlines and causes me so much stress that I’m exhausted when I get home. I have random fits of tears and depression, panic attacks and I can’t get my digestion to get back on track. I also feel like it’s preventing me from losing weight despite all efforts. It’s not what I see myself doing in the future.
5. I do not make enough and this job is destroying my health and happiness. I am turning into a person I do not want to be.
6. It is negatively affecting my mental health.
7. The salary is too small. I’m always asked to do work that is not in my job description, without any just compensation or even due credit.
8. I’ve reached a point in my life where I’m not happy every day. I don’t enjoy going to work. I’m my happiest when I’m not at work. I’m tired of being other people’s crutch to do whatever they want me to do. I need to be my own person. What’s the point of faking happiness when there’s real happiness to be found and experienced? I need to be out of my comfort zone for once to kick myself in the ass to do something for myself professionally.
9. I hate my job. I dread going into work every morning, and am always looking for an excuse to get out of work. It’s not that I don’t like the actual job itself, but I don’t like the management style, or the environment that I’m in. My boss, who I used to think was a great boss, is actually a terrible manager. I don’t know how much longer I can last.
10. I am miserable in continuing to do something that I do not love to do.
11. Cannot get things done with the team. stress levels sky high, not confident
12. I am anxious, depressed and don’t have any way to change it
13. I am quitting my job because my boss is disrespectful to all his employees. He has no problem belittling and embarrassing us in front of the patients and he is just rude in general. I am constantly stressed, always in a sour mood and have gained 15 pounds since I started there three months ago. I do not have another job lined up but I feel that for the sake of my mental and physical health this is the best solution.
14. Because I have to for myself.
15. I do not see myself in this work in the longer term
16. Management treating me with no dignity. For their amusement, they made me clean all four bathrooms, when I was cleaning them, I realized how degrading my job is, and planned to quit.
17. My health has been declining from the stress. I cry almost every day. The stress has become unbearable. I want to have time again to relax and to rediscover myself without stress surrounding everything I do. The stress at my job currently follows me everywhere so it’s hard to just have fun outside of work even. I also want to make a career change and want to narrow down what I’d like to do (I am pretty sure I want to become a programmer or web developer.) I feel broken and want to feel whole again.
18. Because the stress of my job is affecting my health. Poor management and failure to acknowledge my abilities wears on me. I also feel very strongly in my heart that this is the wrong place for me.
19. The stress that this job has put on me has literally made me unemployable and unable to perform simple tasks. My heads too clouded with “business work –  do this  – do that” and so forth.
20. I would like a career change. I don’t enjoy the long travel and being stuck in an office
21. I am stuck in an abusive job. I love the job itself but my immediate boss is a megalomaniac and sociopath who wants everything done how he would do it, but with the added benefit of shirking accountability for anything that is instigated by him. He keeps me in hours and hours of useless meetings just to find fault with my hard work which until now was always praised by others. To him, everyone is stupid and useless except for him and he verbalized this frequently. His boss is so paranoid of losing his job that he doesn’t care how anyone is affected by seemingly arbitrary decisions that invariably affect us negatively. The final straw was a recent demotion for which not a shred of an acceptable rationale was given. No guidance from either manager, just impossible timelines, expectations and harsh criticism.
22. Because I hate every second of it.
23. I have plenty of money my job is just stressful beyond belief
24. Because I am miserable every day. I dread every single working hours. Sunday night is a torture. Monday is worse. Underperforming. Lack of motivation to work.
25. To find my next passion in life. Single, 30, enjoyed my time in the office world.
26. Not career field I want. Stressed to the max, depressed.
27. To focus on applying for a master’s degree.
28. My health finally realizing my dream of working on my weight and my mind
29. I cannot seem to even figure out what I have any passion for- no energy nor can I concentrate to really think about what really makes me happy, I have no idea at this point. I make it to the weekends drained and always seem to think about what is coming up the next day or the next week- sometimes it is worse than others.
30. I am not happy doing what I am doing…I want to work in forensics and this job is nowhere near where I want to be.
31. I wake up dreading the coming day.
32. I feel mentally drained and after work and can’t concentrate on anything. I feel physically sick / anxious.
33. I’m sick of taking shit from other people that think they are entitled to it because they are above me in the corporate ladder. Every single day I want to grab them by the ears and knee them in the face.
34. Intentional infliction of emotional distress by owner of company. Relentless.
35. I start to dread Monday morning at 9:30 am Sunday morning
36. I’m ill all the time due to the stress. I’ve not been healthy for over a year.
37. The job is pointless. No satisfaction at all. Not appreciated. In fact, I believe I’m being actively encouraged to leave. Disliked by my boss.

Are You Prepared to Quit?

61% have completed a spreadsheet to find out how long they can go without a job

76% have save (or have access to) enough money for basic expenses for 6 months

72% have a general idea or specific plan about what they really want to do

78% thought about “the story” they will tell about “Just Quitting” (while between employment)

35% talked to others who have “Just Quit”

88% have thought about how the decision will impact their families

51% have determined the actual date that they can “Just Quit”

48% have already written their resignation letter

56% have thought about how they will celebrate when they “Just Quit”

General Comments:

I have areas that I want to explore. Two of them I base my life around outside of my job.

I am very nervous about the unknown in the decision I have made.

I hope this is the right decision.

I know in my heart that my job as a Happy Coach (trademark) will fill me with joy!

 

For All Those Miserable In Your Job — It’s Just a Wake Up Call — Have Courage

 You will never do anything in this world without courage.

It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor. ~Aristotle

 

Letting Go of Your Art

Below are the craft pieces that I sold last weekend and the stories behind them.

Grow, Use All The Crayons and 2013 Planning

A lady came up and told me she needed something to encourage her mother,  who was 65, almost ready to retire and had one adult child who used her (yep, there is always one user in every “happy family”).

We went around my booth looking for possibilities.  She laid eyes on GROW and picked it up immediately.  So, this was my first sale of the night.  She actually purchased three pieces, which included two of my favorite pieces.

Two pieces that I did not really want to sell.

Both GROW and Use All The Crayons were my favorites. My heart was in pain selling them.

All I kept thinking about was that I am doing what I set out to do – Give Encouragement to Others.  Give people courage…give them hope…help them cope… help them to go on…to push through…to make it…to do better…to wake up the next day and to have heart.

The lady said as I was bagging up her items: “I like your sayings, because they are not in your face type of encouragement”.  EXACTLY.  So, I guess Encouraging Words & Gifts is fulfilling its mission.

My Healing Is At Hand

 

A lady came up and picked up the piece and told me about her sister who was very ill.  She was going to travel to see her sister soon and wanted to “encourage her”. I understood that.   This piece has been around awhile.  I made it very early on when I didn’t really know what I was doing.  I re-worked it a couple of times.  I still looked at it and thought a 10-year-old could have made it because of the free hand font. So, I’m glad it found a good home.

Sailboat & Radmacher Quote

 

A couple brought both of the pieces, they didn’t share their stories with me why they were purchasing them. These are two pieces that I had around my house on the refrigerator and on downstairs bathroom wall.  I liked looking at them.  Both of them took me hours and hours and hours on and off to create them. It’s all good…it’s still about encouraging others and me learning to let go…

Wave of Change

A same-sex couple came up and looked at several pieces.  They settled on this one.  Life is about change.  That’s basically all it’s about.  With this piece I thought of the ocean and being a part of one ocean.  Learning to enjoy the waves of life – both the ups and the downs.  I hope they enjoy it.  I just think sometimes about these pieces being on somebody’s refrigerator and then they move and pack it up to put it on a new refrigerator half way across the world. I mean, you can’t beat this art thing, it’s real.

Chakra Balancing

There is an interesting story behind this one.  I was down at another ladies booth.  When you do these art/craft shows not only do you meet interesting “customers” if that what you want to call them, but also the other artist/crafters/designers/ect are equally very interesting people.  We all end up helping each other in some way:  with art ideas,  how to market,  info about the upcoming shows, how to attract folks to your booth, ect.

If you’ve never been behind a booth then you can’t know the ends and outs of doing this.   I guess it helped me to have a stint in marketing and setting up a booth to market a credit union at one point in my “career”.  But with personal art that you have created it a little different then working for a company or organization that you are representing.  Here you are representing a “very deep” part of yourself.  There is so much planning behind it, creating your inventory, preparing your inventory to be ready to show, all the physical work to set up your booth, getting over the rejection from folks who think your wares are crap (I’ve enjoyed this aspect of it because I learned that art is a little like love, either it is or it isn’t), telling the same story about how you made something or what something is, or how much it cost, over and over and over again.  When you do enough of these shows it’s almost like a community of sorts…travelings gypsies is what it feels like to me…

So, I was down at a clothing designer’s booth who had asked me give her some advice about her product.  She had taken yoga pants and added fabric and cuts to make them original and unique garments.  While I was down there my neighbor booth person came up to tell me that  “someone wanted to give me money!” meaning someone was at my booth and wanted to buy something.  I thought that was funny the way he put it.

When I got back to my booth there was a lady holding the above piece in her hand.  She said she just HAD to have it. She was a massage therapist and wanted to put it in the space where she worked.  I knew it would take someone who understood energy and chakra’s to buy this piece.  I was trying to depict the Kundalini Energy awakening.  I could tell that this woman really got it, she understood what this all meant.

She also told me that I should/could increase my prices. I told her that I just wanted to get the message out there  and to encourage others.  Then she said: “the spirit that  is in your art is worth more than you are charging”.  I might have to consider it.  The economy has gotten better.  I can now accept credit cards and it is SO HARD to sell the pieces that I love.  Not that getting a couple of extra bucks is going to make a big difference…but maybe…

Be New & Improved and The Joy Mandala

 

The two were purchased by the booth owner beside me, Brad.  I remembered his name because he and his wife were so nice and friendly to work beside (some people aren’t, so it’s nice when you find those who are).  He brought them both and told me that one was for him.  He asked me to guess which one I thought was for him.  I picked the Joy one and he said no it was the Shakespeare quote.

He also asked me if these would stay on the refrigerator because the wood was so thick.  I told him I thought so.  I hope so.  I don’t think I ever tested the New and Improved One.

The Joy piece was interesting to make and I added a note on the back that the Mandala depicted life with all the ups and down and ins and outs…but… at the center of life needs to be JOY.  It’s wasn’t really a pretty piece but one with a deep message and lots of soul.

Yes, I feel like some of these pieces that I’ve “sold” were a part of my “soul”.   Can you sell part of your soul?  Part of yourself. Does that mean that part of you is gone forever?   Maybe it only means that you are connecting to the deeper parts and really touching the larger Self.  Can you put a price tag on that?  Maybe that’s why there is such a thing as “starving artists”…you don’t want to put a price tag on it because you don’t want to “sell it”. 

That’s just how artsy creative stuff is I guess.  It comes from some place else and just comes through you then other people recognize that beauty and it speaks to them.  Something to ponder. 

It’s all good…time to get ready for the next show… the making of the art…creating…the work of the soul coming through…

Now, What’s Your Passion?

Go Ahead Pursue It – WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???

Give Yourself To The World