Lesson 2: Work

"How are you feeling about our first lesson on roadblocks? Diving straight into a topic that certainly has the potential to be frustrating, anger-inducing, or any number of additional feelings can be daunting. This was done purposefully as..."

My response out loud: Oh Fuck You! Writing the post put me in a funk for days. I'm just starting to pull out of it. If I'd known ahead of time I would have done that on Friday. It made the work week ROUGH.

But I've returned for lesson 2 in spite of that...

• Are you currently fulfilled at work? If so, why or why not? I actually really like my job and do find it fulfilling. I like being productive and busy. Lately though I'm TOO busy. It's overwhelming. They're growing the business (which is great!) but we are scrambling to keep up. It'll be fine when the new work is automated but in the meantime we're drowning as a team. I have two new people that will help when they are up to speed (well at least one of them will for sure - jury is out on the 2nd one. She's been beastly to manage so far.)

• What is the best job that you've ever had? Why do you think you liked it? I would say this job. It maybe wasn't when I started (although I loved it then too) but I've grown it into the job I wanted it to be. I like it because I get to use all my skills - people skills + technical skills. It's not the most common combination and it's nice to be able to build a career that utilizes the skill.

• What is the worst job you've ever had? Why did you take it (or stay longer than you wanted)? I don't know that I've ever hated a job. When I was a teenager I worked in an ice cream store. I quit that job when my manager wouldn't let me go on a church trip. She was pretty obnoxious. My parents & church leaders at the time were fully supportive of me quitting to get me to go on the trip. I told her I was going and I think she didn't believe me. She called the house while I was gone asking where I was because I was on the calendar to be at work.... She did that to herself. *shrug* But I didn't hate the job. I worked later in a curtain store (my senior year of HS). I loved parts of that job too. I learned lots of random things you don't normally learn as a teenager. And it turned me into a curtain snob. So there's that. lol

• Does a part-time or full-time position suit you better? Why? Full-time. I suppose part-time would be okay but... only if it paid as much as my full-time job. lol. But also if I'm not busy enough I'll get depressed. I've read that's trauma response behavior but I dunno what to do about it. I guess I've always figured I'll cross that bridge if I ever get to it.

• What are your work values? Think of values that bring you emotional fulfillment (being challenged, helping others, influence, etc.) as well as external things that you value (high earnings, job security, having adequate time away from work, etc.) I love challenging work, solving problems while helping others. I like assisting people in finding solutions and answer questions to help guide them if needed. I like about my current job that I'm seen as a person with answers. People come to me for all kinds of things (outside the scope of my position) because general I just remember the multitude of parts and how those parts work together. I definitely value high earnings - I have 2 daughters to support. I want to do well at that. I wish this job had better benefits. Some day it's going to be the thing that drags me away. I have a multitude of health problems and it can get expensive

• What is your dream job? My dream job would be having enough money that I'd busy myself with whatever I wanted. Which is... not a job. Maybe I want a really high paid part time job? I honestly don't have any idea.

• What if you thought of your work as a calling instead of a grind (even if just for now)? I don't think of it as a grind. I'm not sure I would call it a 'calling' (that word has old religion baggage) but I do feel like I have the perfect job to match with my skills & personality.

• Are the internal values more or less important than the external things you receive? Internal is more important. If a job broke one of my internal values I would be able to do it. External values are things I feel like I can bend more.

• Do you feel like you need to work toward a change in your career or vocation? Why? At some point I think I'll need to move forward at another company probably. The place I'm at will only increase my salary so much... but I don't want to leave my career. I would stay in the same industry.