No matter how bad the situation may seem, realize that when you give up your voice in your own life, you become the victim of circumstances, and then you are lost. If you become an active participant in your life, you will maintain a sense of being in charge of your life. You do this by initiating changes, however small. Many times a small change is all it takes.

See 3. Breathe for Life, 9. Stretch Yourself, and 10: Loosen Up Your Belt and Everything Else for breathing, stretching, and loosening up exercises that can be done at the workplace.

Make a distinction here: There are two levels at which you can make changes. The first is the behavioral level. At this level you will actually do something, or not do something, to effect a change in your environment. For example, you may have adjusted your chair to suit the height of your computer screen, but found that your legs are cramped. To make your working environment healthier, you put the monitor on a stand that raises it four inches. Now your chair can stay higher, giving your legs more room, and your neck doesn't have to be bent. Other small changes at this level can include negotiation with management for a healthier environment or a change of schedules to allow for flextime. You could also confer with your coworkers about instituting some changes. This can be more successful than trying to be a lone crusader.

The second level of making changes is attitudinal change. At this level you work within yourself, changing your perception, your degree of attachment, or your sense of purpose and intention with regard to your job. The proverbial cup appears half empty or half full depending upon the observer’s attitude. It is up to you to define how your job gives meaning to your life and what overall purpose it serves. Meanings are in people, not in things. Recall Gibran’s words, and choose the meaning your work has for the soul of the earth. Remember, it is not always possible to change what is, but it is always possible to change your relationship to it. The books listed in the Resource section will assist you in making this reorientation.

You may decide that the only solution to your problem is a job change. This is not something to be done hastily, even if it is economically feasible. Take time to review 5. Discover What You Already Know, and 8. Set Goals for the Changes You Want to Make on goal setting. Then make a three-year plan that addresses your work life. What do you want to be doing three years from now? Where do you want to live? What income do you want to make? What do you want to learn? How do you want to grow?

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