Center for Workplace Happiness

Have you ever heard that saying, “go big or go home?” Humans say it about sporting events a lot, and it’s good advice in your life, too.

Many girl humans are raised to be delicate and feminine and ladylike – bah!

Be those when and if you want to be, and be other things too. Have a big, audacious goal and go for it. Have big, loud fun and invite everyone around you to be part of it. Give yourself permission to do that crazy thing you’ve always wanted to do.

When you go big in your imagination and in real life, you live the life you’re designed for. Go big before you’re called home.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Nope...not a post about exotic animal practice! :D

Do you ever feel like a chameleon – you know, like you have to change yourself to fit in with those around you?

When I go to the dog show, most of the other Siberians are grey and white and some of them raise an eyebrow at my red coat. Who cares – I love my red hair!

If you’re working with or living with people you believe you have to hide your true self from, that has to feel really bad, and maybe even scary sometimes.

It might feel hard, but you have to be true to you – don’t trade away your authenticity for the approval of others. Be you – you might be pleasantly surprised by the love and support you’ll find.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Are you feeling frumpy today?

My Poodle brother likes to chew on my ears and sheesh – the hair behind them just won’t lay down right when he does that!

Maybe you’re having a bad hair day, too? Or maybe you feel like you’ve added a few pounds or like the scrub color you’re wearing washes you out.

Here’s something to try – give yourself a compliment. Make it something you can believe, something you know is true about you – got it? Good – now go find a mirror and look yourself in the eyes as you give yourself that compliment a few times in a row.

Reminding yourself of your strengths can banish that frumpy feeling fast!

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

What do you deserve?

Really think about the things you want in life and then ask yourself, “do I deserve this?”

Now and then Mom brings home a new toy – wow! I might have a moment of “what did I do to deserve this?” and then I start playing with that toy like there’s no tomorrow.

You might feel like you don’t deserve to reach your dreams – have the house you want, or the partner you want or the children you want – and you would be wrong.

You deserve everything your heart can find to want, and more. You are probably the main person standing in your way to feeling deserving. When you think about what you want and ask “do I deserve this” answer out loud – "Heck Yeah, I do!!!"

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Are you looking to others for validation, love and respect? When you get it, it feels great, doesn’t it?

How about when you say something and expect a positive response, but are met with a flat or negative reply? Not so good, right? And then how do you feel? Less than? Hurt? Angry? Defensive? Maybe a little bit of all of that?

Do you know why you feel that way? Because you gave your power away. It’s not anything the other person did, and believe it or not, their reply probably had more to do with the kind of day they were having, not about you at all!

When you feed yourself – when you give yourself positive messages, validation, love and respect – you hold on to your power, and feel great a lot more often!

I’m Sandy Weaver and just like Kacey, I love veterinarians!

Do you eat enough food each day? I don’t think there’s any such thing as “enough food” but Mom disagrees!

Your brain needs over 300 calories a day just to run your body – more if you want it to do things like make decisions, sing and dance or spay that cat that was dropped off this morning.

If you skip breakfast and skimp on lunch, you’re asking your brain to do the impossible – sustain your body while making complex executive decisions and accessing your memory and motor skills all day.

Eat.

Eat enough.

Eat good, nutritious food, just like you tell your clients to feed your patients the right way. Take care of yourself like you want your patients taken care of – eat enough food.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Do you sometimes say something you wish you hadn’t said? Words are like arrows – once they’re out, they’re gone and you can’t take them back.

I growled at my Poodle brother the other day and he was sooooooo sad! I thought he’d sulk all day.

Whether you do it as soon as the words are out or do it later when you’re calmer, it’ll make you feel better if you apologize for saying words that might have hurt someone’s feelings. If other people heard what you said, try to apologize when those other people are there, too.

Sincere apologies make you look strong, not weak, to those who hear them, and they make you feel a lot better too.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

How do you feel when you get up in the morning?

I’m rarin’ to go – Mom is slow as a slug until the coffee kicks in.

If you’re that way too, guess what? You get to choose which way your day will go.

As you’re waiting for the coffee to get ready, spend a few minutes in meditation or journaling or both – you’ll set yourself up for success before the first cup of coffee!

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Are you running on empty? Not enough sleep, that is – that’s not a problem I have. Mom says I’m her professional napper!

Decades of research can’t be wrong – people who are sleep deprived make poor decisions, and you don’t want to do that, right?

Create a going-to-bed ritual. Mom stops touching her phone an hour before bedtime, uses a white noise machine while we sleep and plays 30 minutes of meditative music at a low volume as she falls asleep.

You can steal her ritual or create one that works for you – when you do, get set to sleep longer and sounder.

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!

Are you constantly telling yourself you can’t do something or you’re not something you think you need to be, like smarter or sweeter or something-er?

Sometimes I tell myself I’m not good enough to be a Champion and that doesn’t feel good.

Maybe try what works for me – when I think I’m not good enough, I remind myself that I’m still maturing and am not finished growing up, so instead of “I must not be a good Siberian because I’m not a Champion” I say “I’m not a Champion yet.”

Adding that one word reminds me – and can remind you – that we’re all a work in progress and we have the time and talent to become whatever we want to be.

"Yet" – three little letters that make a powerful difference in how you view yourself!

I’m Kacey and I love veterinarians!