We talked about dealing with a job you hate, and how being enthusiastic can make all the difference at work.For the average person at work, making it through the 40+ hours a week chained at a desk you’d rather be filled with cupcakes than paperwork, gratitude can be a far stretch. At this point, you’re on survival mode, waiting for your big break when you can walk around the office with the biggest “I Quit” sign you can find…

For most of us, being happy at work, or even pretending to be, can feel like pulling teeth. One extremely powerful exercise my coach had me do is actually write down all the reasons why I was grateful for my job, including the fact it provides financial resources (and also has greatly contributed to my shoe collection over the years). After I was done with this simple, yet powerful, exercise, I had a new-found respect for my job and the current phase I was in.

1. Yes, gratitude can help you when you’re struggling at work: Most people stuck in jobs they hate, or facing life crisis, find that showing appreciation for the people in their lives dramatically, and positively, alters their focus. When you praise and help someone else, you also help yourself!

2. Gratitude creates stronger bonds between co-workers than constant complaining: Studies show happiness and gratitude have a ripple effect. If you know someone who’s happy and grateful, your odds of being happy and grateful are increased. While complaining about work may temporarily unite you with your fellow grumpy co-workers, showing appreciation will uplift both you and them. And make you more prone to a promotion as well…

3. Gratitude will help you move forward: Productivity on the job has long been linked to gratitude. Now that more feminine qualities like emotional IQ, compassion, and support, are finally seen as a large part of organizational success, it’s increasingly obvious the more appreciation you show, the better the results. And the better the results, the more you learn, and the faster you can move on up, sideways, or you know, out…

Do you show gratitude for your current job, although you may dislike it? How do you go about it?

The Corporate Sis.