Sunday, June 28, 2015

The 8th Habit - Finding Your Voice

Not sure how this one got past me, but I listened to the 8th Habit yesterday by Stephen Covey. Before scouting/shopping for boho stuff to add to my Etsy site I went to the library to find a play-away to listen to when I ran across the 8th Habit. It was written 10 years ago, but is relevant today.

Covey talked about moving from the Industrial Age to the Knowledge Age and how finding your  voiceKnowledge Age workers will not be satisfied with the old ways they were “managed” –  like things.  Knowledge workers would be looking for “meaning and purpose”.  

The main idea was that people would need to “find their voice” and help others to find their voice. Wow, that concept resonated with me.

I was most intrigued about the PAIN that he said Knowledge Workers would start to face.  It is the PAIN that I read about everyday in the “Just Quit” survey.  Some days the entries are worse than others.  It seems that June 16th was a particularly bad day. Below are the entries that came in:

I’m not a good fit for corporate culture, I’m not in position to truly impact change, and I’m tired of the politics game (I just don’t play it well). I want to do something that means something more than impact the bottom line or make my boss happy.Tuesday, Jun 16th 10:33PM
its making me miserable..Tuesday, Jun 16th 6:07PM
I get treated horribly, hurt, Be littled, treated like crap, work all the time, go unheard, be harassed,paid little, stressed to the max, unhappy and suicidalTuesday, Jun 16th 12:32PM
I am tired and fed up. I feel like working here is draining me physically, as well as creatively and this is extremely important to me. It is sucking the life out of me.Tuesday, Jun 16th 8:19AM
A high level of unhappinessTuesday, Jun 16th 7:40AM
I’m suicidal.Tuesday, Jun 16th 2:38AM

Workers are fed-up all over the world.  More than fed-up – suicidal. Something is dreadfully wrong.

When I listened to Covey’s 8th Habit it was like a siren going off.  Over the past year after blogging the book I’ve been contemplating what to do NEXT about this issue and WHY I can’t find anyone trying to solve this problem. Now, today, I realize that maybe MY voice is to GIVE voice to the PAIN that is happening all over the world.

In all honestly I’ve been hoping, wishing and praying that SOMEONE would do something, but it’s been TWELVE YEARS since I Just Quit and FOUR YEARS of blogging about it  and still I don’t see much help  out there for folks.   I see a bunch of coaches, self-help books, seminars, retreats and stuff for companies BUT I don’t think those approaches are working for the everyday person struggling to make it through this.

So, my next project is to give it voice, my voice. It’s not like people who find my blog and fill out the survey can tell anyone that they are in so much pain…pain, even to the point of suicide. Which is part of the pain…the loneliness…the suffering in silence…the “no one understands what I’m going through” feeling.  BUT…there is a community of people who do understand.  Almost 6,000 people have felt the need to complete the survey.  6,000 people from 106 countries.

If you’ve read this far and you are suicidal about your job, just know that you will make it through this madness.  You will survive this.  You will not kill yourself because of how you’re being treated at work or how much you hate your job.  I don’t type that lightly because I know how serious this is BUT there is hope.  You are not a victim.  You have the power of choice. You are strong enough to get through this and find your voice or your place in this world.  You are. Have Hope.  Have Faith. Believe.  Even if you have to go day-by-day; hour-by-hour; or minute-by-minute to survive then that is what you need to do.

DO NOT GIVE UP. 

P.S.

There is no time like the present. It’s now 7 p.m. and after going to buy a microphone from Best Buy and finding the software I needed I created my first podcast so I can give VOICE to the issue of chronic job stress for today’s workers.  In addition to blogging I’ll start sharing some of the weekly survey entries. Join me on Sunday afternoons. Don’t worry I hope to get better as time goes on and I hope to help those who find my site. Cheers! Ridea

 

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Deciding To Be Happy & Uniquely You

Today, whatever day you find this post and read it – DECIDE to be happy — just try it for a day.Be Unique Today  

Don’t worry about why you aren’t happy, can’t be happy, shouldn’t be happy — just “pretend” like you ARE happy.

Half of  the battle of “being” happy is being okay with who you are right here and now and knowing that you are working towards finding your place in the world. You might not be where you want to be, but just be where you are. 

Just for today, forget about being miserable in your job.  Forget about needing more money. Forget about all those things you want and don’t have…just…

DECIDE to be happy & Do it in style! 

 

 

Monday, June 1, 2015

People Are The Common Denominator In Stressful Workplaces

Daily I read the Just Quit survey results.  Daily there are people all of the world responding and looking for hope, looking for a way out of their stressful work situations.

As I look at the reasons people want to just quit there are many “individual” reasons.  This week we had 40 entries…40 folks who want to quit because of management, bullying, stress, coworkers, unprofessionalism, the culture, terrible bosses, etc.

As I look for a common denominator it is PEOPLE.  Not just PEOPLE, but compassion and strengthPEOPLE who don’t value other PEOPLE.  PEOPLE who are not compassionate, don’t show empathy, are striving for power, money and prestige — at the expense of other PEOPLE.

It doesn’t seem to matter the job, profession or industry. This week’s list of professions is at the end of this post. It has occurred to me that you can’t escape the fact that you have to work with other people. They could be your boss, co-workers, team members or customers.

You can’t MAKE people act the way you want them to.  You can’t make people respect you. You can’t control them, but you can control yourself.  You can control your own emotions.  You can control how you think and treat other people.

I have an idea of what might work.  Show compassion to everyone you meet at work this week – even your boss – even the customers who get on your nerves or your co-workers.  Do this everyday and all day this week.  Just look at people and KNOW that they are suffering.  You may never know WHY they are suffering, but still show compassion and wish for them happiness.  Just send happiness their way in your thoughts.

I know this sounds weak and soft but there is something very powerful about doing that (while you yourself are suffering; maybe even depressed).   Suppose EVERYONE who reads this post does this at work this week? Collectively we can change the working world one place at a time.

So instead of focusing on being depressed, stressed, unhappy, and unfulfilled just show compassion to others this entire week – even those people you think are a jerk and/or you see as a part of the problem where you work…just try it.  Tweet me @Ridea or email me and let me know how it goes.

 

PhysiotherapyToday, 8:23PM
Associate brand managerToday, 7:13PM
BookkeeperToday, 4:04PM
IT ContractorToday, 3:03PM
AdministrationToday, 12:07PM
BankingToday, 12:06PM
mental health counselorToday, 8:09AM
Team LeaderToday, 5:00AM
administrationToday, 2:12AM
civil engineeringYesterday, 6:44PM
bankingYesterday, 6:29PM
Retail-support team pricing and signing captainYesterday, 9:58AM
RetailYesterday, 8:36AM
FinanceFriday, May 29th 6:32PM
Human resourcesFriday, May 29th 4:43PM
Network administratorFriday, May 29th 4:41PM
Adult Education, coordinatorFriday, May 29th 1:16PM
merchandiserFriday, May 29th 12:41PM
Youth and program developmentFriday, May 29th 1:00AM
Youth Direct CareFriday, May 29th 12:28AM
Marketing Campaign ManagerThursday, May 28th 11:24PM
warehouse forklift operaterThursday, May 28th 10:00PM
retailThursday, May 28th 4:05PM
programmer analystThursday, May 28th 3:21PM
managementThursday, May 28th 2:35PM
managing an ice arenaThursday, May 28th 11:22AM
managing an ice arenaThursday, May 28th 11:03AM
legalThursday, May 28th 5:42AM
PRThursday, May 28th 1:33AM
director of operations in trucking industry and truck driverWednesday, May 27th 9:06PM
director of operations in trucking industry and truck driverWednesday, May 27th 9:06PM
sign industryWednesday, May 27th 5:11PM
CommunicationsWednesday, May 27th 8:43AM
Youth Development SpecialistWednesday, May 27th 4:24AM
automotive quality engineerTuesday, May 26th 5:24PM
Client Service ManagerTuesday, May 26th 2:48PM
receptionistTuesday, May 26th 8:08AM
EducationTuesday, May 26th 7:35AM
Business Development managerTuesday, May 26th 6:06AM
store ManagerMonday, May 25th 10:40PM
RecruimentMonday, May 25th 10:18PM
Pharmacy TechMonday, May 25th 3:10AM
Outside Sales / pharmaSunday, May 24th 8:47PM
pt merchandiserSunday, May 24th 3:21PM
pt merchandiserSunday, May 24th 3:15PM
Operations ManagerSunday, May 24th 2:46PM
aaSunday, May 24th 8:35AM
RN at hospitalSunday, May 24th 8:17AM

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Time to Pursue Meaningful Labor

I recently added a question to the survey.  Originally I did not want to be too intrusive, but was curious what people did/where they worked.  At the very end of this blog post are some of the answers to that question. 

As I move back to “really” blogging and not just reviewing the book by blogging the daily entries it has occurred to me that creating art is meaningful labor to me.  It is art show season so for the next 4-5 months my weekends will be filled with either creating art or setting up at art shows.  The last couple of weekends I’ve been setting up at art shows and selling pieces. Here is a picture of one weekend at the Kannapolis Kaleidoscope festival with my sister Sharon.  I consider her a true artist.  She was painting murals on our bedroom walls when she was in high school. Now that she’s retired she back to art again and the world is a better place because of it.

At the Kaleidoscope Art Festival in Kannapolis NC
At the Kaleidoscope Art Festival in Kannapolis NC

This was our first show together but it won’t be our last (God willing).  I look at this picture and I can hear my dad say:  “One day you two will be like two peas in a pod.” He said that as we were going through a family tragedy of losing everything in a house fire and being determined to outlast the delay’s of the insurance company as they used all of their delay tactics to “try to wait until my father died” as one of the firefighters told us they were doing.  I just look at this picture and I think about my dad and him knowing what happens as one enters middle-age and the later years of life.  You realize that your family or what’s left of it is what matters most.   

Another weekend in May I set up at NoDa Day in Charlotte.  I was painting some lightbulbs at this show and some kids started coming up and wanted to paint rocks. I coached them through what they could paint on their rocks. The little girl below came up and she knew what she wanted to paint.  She painted:  “Love”  but she added “is worth it.” LOVE IS WORTH IT.  That almost brought me to tears because at the end of the day Love is all that is worth it.

20150502_140351

So, now as I prepare for several upcoming art shows I have to dedicate myself to the art table so I will have pieces to sell.  This weekend I started on the below pieces:

20150517_003910

Sometimes when I do this (know that it’s a weekend dedicated to creating, painting, art, etc.) I feel like I’m working on my master’s degree again.

I’m listening to the birds chirp, my neighbors enjoying the pool, people coming and going, doing yard work, etc. while I watch from the window at the art table.

Then I think of  people like Winston Churchill and know that there is no place I’d rather be than creating these pieces of art. It feels more like a labor of love that is leading me to my future. It’s as much a space of serenity as it some destination.  Past, present and future just collide at the art table. It is peace amidst the chaos of life and love and living.

I think finding what you love is a large part of answering the question – What do you do?  Good grief it’s not a job title.  I’ve had count – 19 jobs – several different job titles, levels,  industries, types of organizations and answering “What do you do?”  just can’t be boiled down to a job title, profession or even a business that you own.

It’s larger than that, at least that is what I hope for my life. I watch others as they get caught up in job titles and positions and remember when I was there.  It’s almost like watching people caught up in “racing off to a church building” to look for God and remembering when I was there too.  I get it.  I really do.  I just have come to believe that life is bigger than the obvious and the easy.

20150517_003950

Hope, Compassion  and OM are my words for meditation and study for 2015.  It’s been a journey so far this year. All I can do is:

  1. Hope when I open my eyes every morning I jump out of bed and am ready to enjoy having one more day to live verses hoping that I can just survive the things that will happen on that day.
  2. Hope I will be able to practice compassion for others and be able to just observe my emotions, not get caught up in them and to watch my ego as it struggles with this charge of showing compassion and offering forgiveness. IT IS A BIG  GIGANTIC TEST TO SHOW COMPASSION.  TRY IT…IT’S NOT EASY. EVERYDAY I WONDER…WHAT WAS I THINKING TO TAKE ON SHOWING COMPASSION?????
  3. Hope that all of this blogging, art, Etsy, 19 jobs, 10 years (and counting) sabbatical from my “real life”waiting for me in VA will all add up to a meaningful legacy I can leave my granddaughter.  That’s my BIGGEST hope. 

Below is how people answered the question: What do you do? So as you can see it’s all over the board from professionals to entry-level.  It doesn’t matter what you do, where you currently work, how much you make, if you were recently promoted, etc. YOU can still be miserable doing that thing, but there is always HOPE.  HOPE you will find your life’s work. Hold on to HOPE today. Just Hold on to HOPE.

 What do you do? Job Title/Industry/Field Date/Time
software developerToday, 8:02AM
Sales ManagerToday, 7:45AM
Admin executive in government training fieldToday, 5:41AM
Supervisor at a bookstoreYesterday, 11:19AM
fashion designerYesterday, 6:27AM
brand managerFriday, May 15th 10:41PM
Medical FieldFriday, May 15th 7:20PM
BankingFriday, May 15th 1:19PM
FilmsFriday, May 15th 7:38AM
Retail District ManagerFriday, May 15th 6:59AM
BillingFriday, May 15th 5:45AM
WelderThursday, May 14th 9:44PM
Registered NurseThursday, May 14th 5:09PM
TeacherThursday, May 14th 4:23PM
Design Consultant AssistantThursday, May 14th 2:27PM
CopywriterThursday, May 14th 11:04AM
Marketing, PR, writing, publishing – but I’m not doing that nowThursday, May 14th 8:29AM
Receptionist-Secretary/Private ClubWednesday, May 13th 10:45AM
Oil and gasWednesday, May 13th 10:30AM
food/nutrition serviceWednesday, May 13th 6:39AM
InsuranceWednesday, May 13th 5:58AM
Lawrie clerkTuesday, May 12th 9:29PM
SalesTuesday, May 12th 8:11PM
RetailTuesday, May 12th 7:43PM
forklift driverTuesday, May 12th 6:04PM
CsrTuesday, May 12th 5:27PM
CookTuesday, May 12th 2:28PM
ConsultantTuesday, May 12th 11:06AM
Operations in retailTuesday, May 12th 7:46AM
PharmaceuticalTuesday, May 12th 7:31AM
MortgageMonday, May 11th 9:43PM
DesignerMonday, May 11th 8:09PM
Nonprofit arts fieldMonday, May 11th 7:49PM
IT SpecialistMonday, May 11th 12:37PM
RetailMonday, May 11th 10:12AM
Healthcare OperationsMonday, May 11th 10:08AM
IT professionalMonday, May 11th 3:40AM
Charity sectorMonday, May 11th 2:40AM
TransportationSunday, May 10th 10:45PM
Marketing/FinanceSunday, May 10th 10:35PM
GeologistSunday, May 10th 8:36PM
SoftwareSunday, May 10th 5:14PM
family advocateSaturday, May 9th 2:31PM
RetailSaturday, May 9th 11:51AM
SalesSaturday, May 9th 11:31AM
marketing account managerSaturday, May 9th 9:36AM
general restaurant fast food managerSaturday, May 9th 8:02AM
general restaurant fast food managerSaturday, May 9th 7:54AM
RetailSaturday, May 9th 6:32AM
DraftingFriday, May 8th 6:38PM
FinanceFriday, May 8th 5:14PM
ProgrammerFriday, May 8th 8:15AM
Service Technician for Fitness EquipmentThursday, May 7th 9:04AM
food service managerThursday, May 7th 3:38AM
Need producerWednesday, May 6th 10:58PM
Customer ServiceWednesday, May 6th 10:15PM
Customer service representativeWednesday, May 6th 9:59PM
SalesWednesday, May 6th 7:35PM
AutoWednesday, May 6th 7:23PM
GreeterWednesday, May 6th 12:51PM
Graphic Designer in Gambling IndustryWednesday, May 6th 10:22AM
ArtWednesday, May 6th 7:45AM
ArtWednesday, May 6th 7:42AM
administrative manager in a church ministryWednesday, May 6th 7:14AM
AnalystTuesday, May 5th 4:45PM
SalesTuesday, May 5th 4:23PM
ContractingTuesday, May 5th 8:19AM
Was Accounts/AdminTuesday, May 5th 1:58AM
Administrative lands officerTuesday, May 5th 1:21AM
WelderMonday, May 4th 10:19PM
I/TMonday, May 4th 4:04PM
ITMonday, May 4th 1:17PM
WarehouseMonday, May 4th 9:49AM
PA bookkeeperMonday, May 4th 6:57AM
PA bookkeeperMonday, May 4th 6:57AM
HospitalitySunday, May 3rd 10:59PM
AdministrationSunday, May 3rd 6:32PM
recreation therapySunday, May 3rd 4:22PM
Director EvaluationSunday, May 3rd 2:58PM
SalesSaturday, May 2nd 11:25PM
DIRECTORSaturday, May 2nd 2:18PM
Qs/constructionSaturday, May 2nd 1:36PM
TeacherSaturday, May 2nd 2:52AM
Legal AssistantFriday, May 1st 9:02PM
ResearchFriday, May 1st 5:22PM
Financial ControllerFriday, May 1st 4:27PM
SalesFriday, May 1st 12:21PM
data managementFriday, May 1st 9:26AM
Information technologyThursday, Apr 30th 8:47PM
Customer ServiceThursday, Apr 30th 7:18PM
business developmentThursday, Apr 30th 5:19PM
music teacherThursday, Apr 30th 12:46PM
JanitorialThursday, Apr 30th 11:16AM
FinanceThursday, Apr 30th 6:56AM
General manager of mcdonaldsThursday, Apr 30th 5:47AM
Project EngineerThursday, Apr 30th 5:48AM
Legal Assistant/ReceptionistWednesday, Apr 29th 4:20PM
Contact specialistWednesday, Apr 29th 4:18PM
motor insurance. but who even gives a fu*k?Wednesday, Apr 29th 3:45PM
AdminWednesday, Apr 29th 6:53AM

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Finally Finished Blogging The Book

After six months of writing the book and one year of blogging the book below is what I learned:

  • You can do anything you set your mind to do.
  • Making a commitment and fulfilling it no matter if it is only to yourself requires determination and grit. 
  • Having a cause that you care about in this world gives your life meaning.Finished
  • Helping other people is what living a good life is really all about.
  • Don’t expect everybody to understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
  • Continue to stay the course no matter how much it appears that nothing is happening. 
  • Taking on the suffering of others (showing compassion) is not a burden but an honor. 
  • Using Twitter has real possibilities for meaningful connections with others around the world. 
  • You don’t make much money selling e-books or hard cover books for that matter, even if you sell alot of books!

So, now I keep going.  The work is not done.  It is not finished. People worldwide are still suffering in jobs that make them miserable and depressed.   

I’ll go back to blogging weekly from here on out.  

Please know that if you discovered this blog  – you are not crazy and you are not alone. There are many other kindred spirits around the world who are miserable in their jobs and are contemplating “just quitting”.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Get Ready. Set. Live.

I want to write graphic novels and scripts and paint portraits and write stories.

~Worker Living in CANADA

You are reading from the book “Just Quit” & Live

 Get Ready. Set. Live.

Today, starting today, while you are still working your job do the things you KNOW you want to do. 

  • If it is to write graphic novels: write one line of a graphic novel. 

  • If it is writing scripts: write one line for a new script. 

  • If it is to paint portraits: start painting a portrait. 

Today START moving towards what your heart, mind and soul is telling you that you were born to do.  START TODAY, even while you are still working at your job (that you want or need to quit).

Just START and things will open up for you.  

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Go Through The Pain. Get Something Out Of This. Move Towards Your Life's Work.

I dunno how to do my job. I have been thinking of quitting since a month ago. I feel many things are going wrong and I have no idea how to solve them. My memory really sucks.

~Worker Living in SINGAPORE

You are reading from the book “Just Quit” & Live

 

Going Through the Pain

A poorly fit job can make us feel inadequate.  We can’t remember things.  We can’t make sense out of things, but we are not dumb.

We are brilliant.

We are geniuses. 

We need to find where we fit and where our brilliance and genius can be realized. We are more than adequate, each and every one of us.