Center for Workplace Happiness

Quick – what does it take to make you happy? Are you one of those humans who thinks that once you’ve achieved a certain goal you can finally be happy? I may be just a dog but I know things. Research studies done at universities like Harvard, Cambridge and UC Berkeley have come up with the same conclusion. Happiness doesn’t come from making a certain amount of money or finding the perfect life partner or having a child or the home of your dreams – if you want those things you have to be happy first. News flash – you are the only person in charge of your happiness and you can learn to be happier. Mom teaches people all the time!! And once you’re happier, there’s only one answer to that question – what makes you happy. You do!

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Does it feel like stuff gets on you that you don’t want? I’m not talking about real stuff like dog hair or cat vomit or anything, I’m talking about life stuff – like when the groomer and the receptionist get into a screaming match and you feel like you have to be the referee? Sometimes I just stand in the middle of the floor and do what you need to do – shake shake shake like Mom’s trying to give me a bath. Be like me – shake it off! Before you step in to solve the problem, ask yourself whether you should solve it or whether you should let them work it out. Give them the ground rules – no yelling, no unkind words, lots of listening before speaking – and let them settle it. When people solve their own problems they own the solution and the solution sticks. Plus, when you shake it off it gets you out of the referee job and back to taking care of your patients.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Are you having one of those days with no-shows, cancellations and empty appointments? Maybe it’s time to play! Most days Mom takes me for a long walk at the park in the morning but on days when the sky is leaking she cancels that. That’s not fun! And then most of the time it turns into a different kind of fun – she hides stinky swabs with cheese right next to them and I get to find them and eat the cheese. We can do that inside where the sky isn’t leaking and Mom says it wears me out just as much. What can you play on an empty appointment day? Sure, you could find work to do – playing is more fun. Play on social media – post cute pictures of your staff and patients, make little videos you can post, gather your staff and have an impromptu lunch together – find a way to take fun advantage of what looks like down time. Fun shifts your focus and helps you have a much better day!

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Do you feel a little sad today? It happens to the best of us – me, too sometimes, and when I’m sad I just whine a little bit. And then I remember that it’s more fun to run than to whine and I take off, bunny-butting through the house up the stairs over the back of the couch and Mom opens the back door and let’s me runrunrun in the yard. Pretty soon I’m panting and happy and back inside ready for a nap. If you feel sad, you could runrunrun, too – or maybe dancedancedance or do yoga for a few minutes or take a walk outside. Even just a little bit of exercise helps you go from sad to feeling pretty darn good. And feeling pretty darn good is better than feeling sad any day of the week.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Does it feel like stress is getting the better of you today? Quick – figure out when you can cut loose from everything for 10 to 20 minutes and go for a walk. It doesn’t matter when you walk or where you walk, as long as there’s not a roof over your head. Even if it’s cloudy you’ll be soaking up fresh air and enough of the sun’s rays to create some vitamin D, easing your anxiety, improving your focus, getting a little exercise and just generally feeling better about yourself. And if you want to be like me, sniff a few trees and telephone poles as you go by!

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Are you feeling boxed in by life or maybe like you’re tethered to something when all you really want to do is run? I can relate – Mom’s a stickler for keeping me on a leash when it would be soooo much more fun to runrunrun like a crazy dog! Here’s the weird thing – usually when humans are feeling boxed in and think they can’t fix something they’re trying to fix the wrong thing. Focus on what you can fix – your way of looking at something. Focus on that because you can control that. Fix what’s in your power to fix and let worrying about the rest of it go.

I’m Kacey and I loooooove veterinarians!

Are you shoulding on yourself today? As mom says to me when I’m up to something that’s not good for me UNH!! Should is a word that’s about shaming – it’s pointing out where you think you’re deficient. The truth is, if you asked 43 other humans they would say you are great at whatever you’re shaming yourself over. Sometimes human brains are mean, and when that word “should” is popping up inside a brain, that’s the brain being mean to that person. If your brain is telling that you should do this or you should think like that or you should be more of whatever, then your brain is being mean to you. Don’t should on yourself – instead, focus on what you can do about something, or the positive things you’re doing about something.

I’ve Kacey and I’d never should on you…I love veterinarians!

I know something you don’t know! OK, maybe you do know this – maybe today is just a good day to remind you that you can get a little boost of endorphins just from having fresh flowers in your space. Mom buys fresh flowers for our house every week and they make her smile every time she looks at them. You can smile a lot too – get whatever kind of flowers you like and plop them in your kitchen, on your desk, in your exam room – wherever you need a shot of instant nature and instant aaaahhhhhhhh.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

How are you feeling today? You might feel ordinary or not special at all or maybe even like a fraud. You are a unicorn. Really!! You spent most of your life so far loving animals, caring about animals, learning how to care for animals and being a champion for animals. You rock at caring for animals and your clients know it. Even when they forget to tell you that you can bet that they’re telling all their friends how great you are. So on days when you feel ordinary or not special or even like an imposter, remember this – you are a unicorn. Strap on that horn, Dr. Unicorn!!

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Are you worried about money? Not to be mean but that’s something I never worry about. Mom won’t let me have any!! Humans seem to worry about money a lot because it looks like y’all need a bunch of it. I don’t get why you worry, though – you know what to do to get money and it always comes when you need it to. Here’s my advice – focus on doing what you love and the money thing will work out. It always does for mom and it will for you, too.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!