Creating Joy in the Everyday

I took this picture on one of my last nights in Laguna Beach California. I was so taken by the vibrant and changing colors in the sky, the way the ocean took in the setting sun. I think of my time there and I feel so relaxed, and I also feel so much joy. This is my happy place for sure, but I cannot be in Laguna Beach every day though- well not yet...

So when I find myself feeling a bit lackluster, a little uninspired, I think back to this place, the way it made me feel - pretty much in awe, inspired and grateful. Working doing the same thing everyday can definitely become a bit mundane (in any industry). In the recruitment industry you are either talking to candidates or talking (selling) to clients. I find myself a lot of these days doing both. In the big picture it is a fulfilling role, connecting people with their (hopefully) dream jobs, and companies with the talent they need. But the day to day can feel a little humdrum sometimes. Especially when the job market is… tricky? Like it seems to be right now. There are jobs to fill, but the word recession looms over hiring managers’ heads. The uncertainty of the times is making people a little persnickety- in both hiring and taking new roles. The rush of making a placement comes a bit fewer and farther in between. And yet you tell yourself - "this is this business you have to expect it." I felt I was losing my creative spark and the joy in the everyday work though. So how do you keep working with joy?

I needed to step back and reevaluate my perspective. For one,?I needed to change my approach to the start of my day. It couldn’t be - "Ugh another day of being rejected or being told no thanks” instead it had to be “Ok... it’s another opportunity to make something great happen- change a candidate’s life and make a client happy” and "How can I do this different today than I normally do?"

It was time to go back to my creative roots- writing, connecting with and expanding my network, new hobbies and putting myself out there more-( for instance this article). I had closed myself in a little when I took a social media break, (except for LinkedIn) I was tired of the pressure to post and all the vanity metrics. But with that I also found that I stopped being really creative overall and that crept into my work. I realized I needed to find a way to bring that creative joy back into my everyday routine.

So, I joined a new networking group, I started writing again, reading new books and finding ways to volunteer. I’m tossing around different hobbies to take up to get the creativity machine going. Like: Learning a new language (not going to lie it seems hard though), learning how to paint with watercolor (so soothing!), getting back into photography and even learning more about collecting Wine -specifically all the beautiful places on this earth that they all come from (It’s like each bottle has it’s own little story!).

Creativity can come from so many different things in life, but they all interconnect. It’s about getting the creative juices (wine anyone?) flowing. I’m still thinking of new ways to get a creative boost and adding to my list. So I am open to recommendations! Because I do believe after all creativity is contagious. If we aren't connected on LinkedIn let's connect- I am always open to networking and learning from others.

Thanks for taking the time to read this-I will be writing more when the creativity hits. So I hope you found something to relate to and maybe even a new way to get creative!