Do you ever sit there and think about what got you to where you are? Sometimes if we were to sit back and think real hard, those hard times in our lives, they are really what has built us into who we are today. I often tell others, yes, I have had terrible jobs in my career, but not one of those jobs didn’t teach me something in one way or another. And yes, I am better for those “life lessons.”

I once had a job that I absolutely hated. I would get to work first thing in the morning, and I would be done with my work by about 9:30 in the day. The rest of the day was like a prison sentence. I was so bored and just sat there the rest of the day watching Netflix. I was looking for a job but one hadn’t come around yet. It even got to the point where they were trying to make me quit. They were giving me off the wall jobs – like helping in the warehouse – where they wanted me to drive a forklift. So let me give you a bit of background information here, that was not my career path. Not that it was a bad one, but I was an office worker, HR to be exact. I didn’t know anything about forklifts or safety on such forklifts. It scared me to death. But what did I do? Pitch a fit and walk out? No, I put up with it, leaving work each day in tears. Then when they realized that I wasn’t going to quit, they called me into the office and laid me off. I stood up and shook their hands, said thank you, and walked out. So you ask, how did this awful job play into my life lesson.

Well you see, it taught me to not give up. It taught me to not throw in the towel. If I would have just quit, I wouldn’t have been eligible for unemployment. By being laid off, I was able to draw unemployment and look for a job that allowed me to showcase my strengths and to be happy at what I do. About 3 months later, I was hired into a position that allowed me to work my way into the the Director of Human Resources within three months of accepting that position. I met some of the best people who immediately became family. I learned about helping others through this position, and I learned how good I felt when I helped others.

Now, even though that position didn’t last because it was for a non-profit that ended up filing bankruptcy, it was one of my most favorite positions I have had in my career. To this day, I build on the values and principles this job taught me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for being laid off in the first place.

I tell you all of this just so you can see one glimpse into how such a negative, heart wrenching piece of my past drove me further in my life, when it could have totally broken it down. I didn’t let it and I moved on. You can too! Just take a deep breath – tomorrow is a new day, and that thing that is bothering you today can either build you up or break you down.

Let Living Life Graciously add just a little perspective to your day.