If You Are Miserable, Do Something About It

Lots of people are miserable.  Miserable in their jobs or where they live or in their relationships.  Been there.  I was stuck on a El train in Chicago in January decades ago, looked up and saw a sign that said this was the 36th day below freezing.  And it was way below freezing--like sub zero for 20 of those days.  If the doors hadn't been locked, I would have jumped.  I vowed then and there that if I ever got out of Chicago I would never complain about heat again.  After twenty plus years in Texas, I have had plenty of opportunities to break that vow.  But I haven't because I never want to be that cold again. 

But I didn't get out of Chicago right away.  We were there for three more long years while I worked trying to get out of the place.  Three years seems to be the magic number as a friend of mine said Always Be Doing Something Today that will get you where you want to be in Three Years.  Because good things don't happen overnight.  So start planning.

Do An Assessment

If you are moping around miserable, find out why.  If it is your job, assess what you like and don't like.  You can't just quit every job every time something goes wrong so you have to find out the major problem and somehow fix it or learn to live with it.  If a job change is required, go slowly.  After all, you have three years to fix it.  If the problem is a significant other, good luck.  Fix it or start over.  If it is living in New York or Akron or wherever, find someplace you would rather live.  Finally, assess your family situation.  If you are caring for 10 aunts and uncles, you can't pick up and leave.  But you have three years, remember.

Knowledge Is Power

Learn about your problem.  Don't reinvent the wheel.  Somebody, actually a lot of people, have gone through what you are going through.  Find out what they did by going to the libary, google the problem or find somebody that broke out and solved your problem.  I actually prefer the libary because it is quiet.

Go There

If you hate where you are, go where you will think you will be happy.  Maybe you will find that it is not perfect and the old place suddenly looks pretty good.  Subscribe to the local newspaper to get an insiders view of the place.  You will also learn the good and bad of the place.

If there is a place you think you want to work or a profession that appeals to you, go there and see the place in action.  Meet the people that work there.  Find out if the place is all it's cracked up to be.  I worked in one of those Best Places To Work Places for ten years.  Most of the people there were miserable.

Work To Live, Don't Live To Work

Somewhere along the line we got foisted upon us this passion stuff.  Your work has to be your passion.  Not really.  You work to get money to pay the bills.  Use your off hours to pursue your 'passion' and someday your 'passion' just may pay the bills.  View your work life as guerilla warfare--use their money to obtain your goals.

Nothing Is Going To Be Perfect

We all have an idealized view of what life should be like.  There are always going to be bumps in the road.  But a lot of things are less perfect than others so work to control your life rather than feeling like you are out of control. 

Comments

[Paula]

Amen to this post. Luckily, I can make money at my passion now and I'm making the changes needed to make my life better. It's one step at a time. One foot in front of the other. And sometimes it's 1 step forward and two steps back.