Creating Positive Fulfillment from Daily Work

Originally Published in the UO Team Internal Newsletter The Snitch | 2012

“Goood Mooorning!!!”

You hear the laughter in her voice as she bounces into the guest-packed store with her usual high spirited greeting. As your coworker dance shimmies to her register, you can’t help but note once more how infectious her mood is. It causes the approaching Muggle to chuckle in amusement as he dumps his treasured Honeydukes merchandise all over the small counter space.

Yet somehow you can’t help but question her good-natured banter. WHY she always seems to be in such a wonderful mood.

Too much coffee maybe.

Whatever it is, you wish you had a piece of her “happy hype”. I mean, no one can be THAT happy on the regular.

Or can they?

Many people are often surprise that sometimes it really is all about mind set and focusing on the things that make you feel better about life.

At work we often forget to take a moment and think of how what we do every day will affect how we act. And how it helps benefit us in the long run.

Oftentimes - being in that happy vibe mode is all about you, focusing on you.

Building Happiness on What Works For You

Each year everyone always harbors a notion of “Well THIS year I’m going to do something different”. We all want to try to get rid of the things we feel is harming our sense of well being and so many of us start by trying to “weed out” the negatives. Which takes a long time because as the saying goes “Habits die hard”. Yet, I believe we should work on building up what we find is working for us instead.

We are all trying to find ways to improve ourselves whether it is at work, in our familial relationships, or in our every day lives.

Right now is a great time to think take a step back and think seriously about what we seek to accomplish. Starting with your day to day in store routine in the busy Wizarding World we call our work home.

After all, it’s easier to continue building on a solid foundation than starting over and reconstructing a new one.

Rediscover your wants

There are a lot of ways to make your daily routine work in your favor.

One is to find what it is that YOU want in life and try to find a correlation within your current job. Try to find activities and needs at work that would help you accomplish your personal set of goals.

Do you want to make a difference in peoples lives?

Then try to focus on making a difference in a child’s life as you help them locate the right Ollivander wand.

Or help the poor Potterlore-less Grandmother find the right gift for her book-obsessed grandson Sam amidst what may seem to be a world of merchandise confusion and people-packed chaos.

Lean down and talk to a crying child. Show her something cool that will make her laugh.

The little things you do at work really do have an impact on peoples lives- whether you realize it or not.

Do you want to take a leadership position?

Then take the time to help out your coworkers and address their needs. After all, you don’t need a title or a position to be the leader you want to be.

Get to know everyone around you and look to make their work space better. Inspire them to do better. Most of all acknowledge good efforts and be an example.

You can also volunteer for other smaller roles that can help you gaining the necessary experience and skill set.

Passionate about doing something creative, or you’re a more community oriented individual!

If that’s so, then consider making something to share with, or may benefit, your coworkers.

Offer to decorate, design, or create something. Or put together a community service event and invite your coworkers to join in! We work in one of the most creative businesses- one whose main focus is to entertain.

As UO team members, we also work for a company that acknowledges the importance of community outreach. So the opportunities are endless for those who take the time to search for them.

If opportunities aren’t immediately available, then take the time to create that opportunity- not just for yourself but for others as well. Because you never know who else may have a similar goal as you.

Take Action

The key is in making a conscientious effort to ensure things work out instead of simply hoping it will. To be proactive. If something isn’t working in the way that you thought it would, then change it up. Come up with solutions.

Talk about what you what you are trying to do.

Sharing our goals with other people makes it more tangible because now someone else is aware. Maybe you will find someone who can help you with suggestions you haven’t considered. Or you maybe you’ll find someone who has similar missions and you can work together to achieve it.

Make your joy your goal

In the end, try to really make it a goal to enjoy what you do and make it work to your advantage.

You have the power and ability to change your own circumstances no matter what it is.

The individuals who seem the happiest are the ones who also seem to work the hardest and that is because happiness is work. At least in a way. It doesn’t just happen out of nowhere.

Things, people, outside experiences can all help bring a sense of fulfillment. Yet, the only way you can achieve that is to actually take the time to find the right ones that gives you that feeling of satisfaction and joy.

So go grab your trunk locked parchment and quill and take a moment to scribble out those things you find helps you stay motivated and looking forward.

Refocus and refine yourself and make every bit of work you do count towards your happiness.

You may find that accomplishing the goals you set for yourself will give you the infectious happy vibe you’ve been looking for all along.

“Men who are resolved to find a way for themselves will always find opportunities enough; and if they do not find them, they will make them.” ~Samuel Smiles