Appreciating Every Opportunity Will Lead You To Success

Today we’re engaging in a consideration of the long journey through our present unprecedented circumstances. As we increasingly return to normal, it’s important to think about the extent to which everyday activities were taken for granted pre-pandemic. Never would we have expected events so simple as going to the store, riding the subway, or joining friends for a meal at a crowded restaurant to become challenges we needed to navigate. As you continue forward, and continue to persevere through our readjustment period, remember to both notice and appreciate the new opportunities of all shapes and sizes that come your way. Practicing gratitude for those opportunities is a great way to continue achieving professional success while easing your way back into the activities you engaged in before COVID.

We love this suggestion for how to truly enjoy the little things in life from Crystal Raypole at Healthline: “Wake up 15 minutes earlier. If you battle with your snooze button every morning, this tip might make you groan — but go on, give it a try anyway. If the thought doesn’t faze you at all, give yourself an extra challenge by aiming for 30 minutes earlier than usual. You might feel a little groggy, but try to pay attention to sensations you don’t usually have time to experience. The world often feels different in the morning, so step outside (or stand near an open window) to savor your morning beverage of choice. Instead of zeroing in on negatives, such as your dingy apartment complex or the trash in your neighbor’s yard, notice the positive things. Maybe it’s the friendly cat who comes to say hello, the chilly morning air, or the last streaks of dawn in the brightening sky. Waking up earlier also means you don’t need to rush through your morning. Think of this 15 minutes as a gift to yourself — a way to start your day with satisfaction and calm.” This tip is especially important when adding a commute to your workplace back into your life, or newly beginning to commute to a professional setting after you’ve finished your academic studies. After all, as the saying goes, “To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, to be late is unacceptable!” While that prospect may seem scary, remember Raypole’s advice and find the joy in the little things you encounter in those extra moments. Raypole also points out the health benefits to engaging in this joyful, proactive behavior: “The positive emotions you experience when savoring life’s little joys could: improve heart health, strengthen your immune system, reduce pain and stress, and lead to a longer life.” So make sure you’re appreciating the little things like riding the bus or the subway, or interacting with your colleagues both old and new inside your physical workspace in order to take full advantage of this way to persist.

Noma Nazish at Forbes also offers up a little thing people can do to practice gratitude that will have a huge impact in your workplace and beyond: “They keep a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is a diary where you jot down all the things you are grateful for each day. Reflecting on things you’re thankful for and writing them down reinforces positive thoughts. This, in turn, promotes optimism and happiness. What’s more, Oprah Winfrey swears by this daily habit!” These days, as we continue to re-open, we know there’s plenty to be grateful for! Keeping a gratitude journal will help you keep track of all of the little things to be thankful for each day, even something you may never have thought to add to your gratitude list before–something like picking up a cup of coffee from your favorite cafe without having to worry. Engaging with your journal itself can also serve as a source of fun! Let your journal reflect who you are, inside and out–so don’t be afraid to get a notebook with a sparkly cover! Allowing yourself moments to reflect on the unique parts of your life that that you may have taken for granted pre-pandemic will allow you to better build up a sense of perseverance, and to keep navigating your adjustment to on-site workplaces both new and old.

And a phenomenal way to readjust to our new normal is by getting a temporary or contract job. This will offer great possibilities in terms of a first step onto a great career, and an opportunity to learn new skills while interacting with a team. What might seem like a small assignment at the outset could lead to huge opportunities, especially given the strong relationships and partnerships Contemporaries has formed with a wide variety of companies and organizations in and around Boston over the past three decades. While assignments might be temporary, the skills you’ll learn in your role will be tools you can take forward with you into any professional next steps. And that’s definitely something worth appreciating! So, make sure to allow yourself time and space to enjoy all of the opportunities around you both big and small. Then join us again tomorrow for a midweek mood boost with our Wednesday Wellness: Persistence edition!

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.

This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston