I am lucky because there are many days where my work actually lifts my mood. I have refrained from telling people this because I realize that it can add to their own distress about their jobs. Many of you on this site want to believe that work can be or almost be fun. But understandably you probably have your doubts because work has historically been deemed “work” because of its negative connotations.
I realize that this has been and still is the case for many people. I too did not enjoy and even despised my work before starting an education-counseling company. I was a lawyer throughout the 90s. Often I would find myself going to work in a good mood and leaving in a bad one. I knew it was time for a change when work was drastically affecting my overall happiness.
When meeting with some of my clients, I can tell that they too want to believe that they can be happy at work but they others in their life – such as relatives, spouses, or friends – often suggest that the safe move is to stay at their current job because it is secure or pays well. In the old world of work this would prove to be true. But today there can be much more freedom associated with what you do for a living.