Are you experiencing the woes of life? Perhaps you are someone who is currently employed but miserable? Do you feel trapped and afraid to say anything because you don't want to hear: "You should be thankful you have a job...
"? Or, maybe you know someone who bounces around from job to job; they always seem to find a reason for moving on.
Our jobs, relationships, and life in general are all viewed through a lense.
Unfortunately, because of past hurts and experiences, your lense can become very cloudy.
The lense that I am describing is your perception - how you process your life experiences.
Because we are imperfect people, we should not expect perfection in life.
This is not to say that you shouldn't strive to be your best, but we must understand that records are made to be broken, and your way is not the only way.
When you begin to feel overwhelmed with life; the first thing you should do before making life changing decisions is "clean" your lense.
The following four steps will help you keep a healthy perception and position you to know when it's time to move on:

1. Acknowledge Your Blessings - No matter how bleak your situation may seem, I guarantee you there is someone worse off than you.
   Even if you find yourself miserable on your job, the fact that you have a job is a reason to be thankful.
   You are entitled to your feelings, but remember the lens that I referenced above? If you view your job as a blessing, over time, the things that you hate may become a bit more tolerable.
   This is true about relationships too.
   Even a diamond has to be cleaned from time to time to see the radiant sparkle that we've all come to know and appreciate.
   If you find yourself complaining or unhappy with your circumstances, take a paper and pen and write down at least three things that you are thankful for.
   Reflecting on our blessings helps us to keep life in perspective.
   Don't limit yourself to three; write as many as you can as often as needed.
   
2. Count the Costs - Have you ever had a co-worker or boss that you simply wanted to "let go" on - I mean you really wanted to let them have it? Or, maybe you've had enough of your job and you want to walk out the door and never look back.
   Before you act, please count the costs.
   A close friend always says: "Is being right worth the cost?" This is not to say that you don't speak up when you've been wronged, but you must acknowledge that it may cost you something.
   In situations when emotions are heated, walk away, regroup, and approach the situation logically.
   Believe me; I know this is easier said than done, but acting with a "hot head" often leads to regret.
   
3. Create A Life Plan - In his book, The E-Myth, Michael E.
   Gerber says, "I believe it's true that the difference between great people and everyone else is that great people create their lives actively, while everyone else is created by their lives, passively waiting to see where life takes them next.
   " When you have a life plan, the job becomes more tolerable because you understand it's a means to an end.
   The boss or co-worker that you can't seem to get along with doesn't seem to bother you as much because you understand that they do not control your destiny.
   In essence, you understand your job is not the end destination, but a resource that will help you meet your goals.
   As you develop your life plan, make sure you consider family, spiritual, wealth, health, and career.
   It's up to you to prioritize the categories, but a well thought out plan will include them all.
   
4. Be Patient - I know we've all heard the saying that "patience is a virtue".
   Practice being patient.
   If things seem to be taking longer than you anticipated, there's likely a reason.
   It could be that you need to experience growth in certain areas.
   For instance, that co-worker that annoys you may be teaching you how to manage relationships.
   The boss that is a perfectionist and critical may be strengthening your competency skills.
   Look beyond the person, and seek to understand the experience.
   

The four steps noted above will help you keep a clear perception.
When your lense is clean, you are more aware of when it's time to move on.
Make no mistake, there are times when it is simply time to move on, but that's not the case every time.
If you "run" every time things get tough, you limit your ability to grow.
To build endurance, you have to push through the trial.
However, we cannot recapture time spent; make sure you understand why you're enduring a situation.
If you are practicing the steps above and cannot articulate the lesson in the experience, it may be time to explore other options.
If you can relate to the questions that were asked at the beginning of this Post, take a moment and "clean" your lense.