Being positive helps in this job – and the next

This is the kind of email I reeeeeeeally like getting:

First of all: Thank you so much for all of your intelligent and inspiring advice about work.
I was working at a retail job and not loving it. In fact, I will admit, I hated for a while and I was the “complainer” that you have written about.

I read your articles about having a good attitude at work and about being a constructive complainer instead of just a big pain.

I realized that I needed to look at the positives about my work and quit kvetching. I liked my co-workers and most of the time the job was pleasant. It really helped to have some perspective on a healthy work environment. The quality of my work improved and I enjoyed work more.

When I decided to move to another state I began the process of giving notice. Since I was happier about work and the people I worked with, I was leaving the job on a very positive note. Then the unexpected happened. I found out about a job opportunity where I was moving that was directly connected to my current employer. I wasn’t sure how to make the necessary connections at first, but I started talking to the people I knew at my work and sure enough people were happy to help. After several phone calls and emails, I was talking to the owner of the company that I wanted to work for.

And I am going to have an interview with him soon! He seems to have your philosophy about work: He also values liking your job over money and he believes in a positive, respectful work environment so employees feel valued. During our initial phone interview he asked me: “Which was more important to me: the job or the money”. As I said in a recent post to you, it was easy to answer: the job.

I never expected that a retail job would lead to meeting the owner of a company. Literally, it was all due to treating people well and having a good attitude. I’m convinced. I was pleasantly surprised by the lengths people will go when they like you and like the way that you work.

The whole experience taught me not to take a “little” job for granted, or to take the people you work with for granted. Everything counts.

Thank you for everything!
Pixel Peony

I don’t really know what to say except that I’m really, really happy that people find the blog useful and that this story shows some of the power in a positive mindset. Good luck with the move and the interview new job Pixel P.

What about you? Have you experienced how a more positive approach turned out to be a good thing?