Hunt for Happiness
This year, January 16th - January 20th is Hunt for Happiness Week. It got me thinking about being happy and wondering if I am happy- in life, in my job, in my hobbies, etc. Thankfully, after some self-reflection, the answer is YES! Happiness is closely related to mental health, so this is something we should take stock of every so often. Harvard School of Public Health, the International Journal of Indian Psychology and Psychology Today, among others, all agree on this. Numerous articles discuss the benefits to being happy- longer life, fewer mental health concerns, better relationships, the list goes on.
What does this mean for you and me? It means that we should take our happiness seriously and pursue it relentlessly.
I encourage you to use this week as a starting point for your Hunt for Happiness. There are lots of places to start, but given that my specialty is career focused, I’d like to talk about how you can pursue happiness in your career. I believe this is important because a recent study published in Forbes found that 92% of people felt that their career happiness impacted their happiness at home. With this fact in mind, career happiness seems exceedingly important, no matter what your career choice or where you are in your career journey.
Here are some suggestions for finding happiness in your career:
Find the career you love (or at least really enjoy). This sounds overly obvious, but I know so many people who are not happy with their career choice. If you don’t yet know what you want to do as a career or are in a career that doesn’t make you happy, there are lots of ways you can figure out what it is that you would be passionate about. The internet is filled with interest inventories, skills assessments and the like. This is career counselor speak for taking a quiz to point you in the right direction. If you need help finding one, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. These are great because they are usually free and the website will interpret your score and allow you to explore your top careers. You can, of course, meet with a career counselor. If you are currently attending college then there is likely one on your campus. If you are already out in the workforce, your employer may have some services available or you can (shameless plug) contact someone like me who works specifically with clients in the realm of career counseling.
While I believe you should do what you love, I also believe that you need to choose a career that will keep a roof over your head and food on your table, which is why I added that you may need to find a career that you really enjoy (rather than love) to keep yourself afloat. This doesn’t mean you have to settle. It just means that there may be great careers out that that you have even heard of yet, let alone considered for yourself. Take one of those interest inventories, even if it is just for fun. You may learn about a career you’ve never heard of but would be a great fit.
Don’t stay in a job or working for a supervisor that makes you unhappy. I’ve seen all over social media platforms that this is the year to put yourself first, rather than your employer. I don’t disagree. We’ve all given so much over the last few years and COVID has not made the situation easier on anyone. And, while you may not love love your boss, you should at least like them and feel that you are supported in your career. If that isn’t the case, it may be time to look elsewhere. Refresh your resume and cover letter and put yourself out there. Don’t let a specific title or industry intimidate you. With so many organizations hiring, you can easily make a switch and try something new.
Grow in your career. Once you find what you love and are doing it for a boss and a company you enjoy, don’t settle. Too many times I’ve seen clients who are unhappy in their current role, not because of something that is happening to them at work or because they don’t like their job, but because they stopped making their career about them. Join professional organizations, take on leadership roles, volunteer for a new or interesting project (rather than taking the backseat because it is outside of your comfort zone), or mentor younger professionals in your career field- these are all easy ways to keep growing and stay engaged in your career. Remaining engaged and growing as a professional has been shown to boost career happiness.
I hope you’ve found this helpful. If you are looking for more information, please visit my website- Higher & Hire. If I can be of assistance to you, please reach out to me here.
Many Thanks!
Valerie Palmer
