I get to!

*Today’s post is written by yesterday’s featured vlogger, Henry Petty. Thank you, Henry, for sharing your experience with us!*

I work in an office.  You would think this would be the end of the post, as “working in an office” is synonymous with “living happily ever after,” but you’d be wrong.  No, I’m not being sarcastic or cynical – I am living happily ever after right now inside the 3 ½ walls that is the cubicle I spend roughly 10 hours a day in.  My environment is littered with circulating illness, small talk around the coffee pot, clashing personalities (I’ll get into that in a second), and awkward rides in the elevator.  I’m a happy camper and couldn’t be more grateful.

Before I began my office job, I had spent 6 years at a giant orange store that sells hardware.  I spent most of my days toiling around lugging heavy appliances, Quikrete, mulch, lumber and other heavy objects for a customers’ do-it-yourself project.   I would come home with aches and pains, sometimes blood here and there and smelling of pesticides and saw dust.  Tony Stewart, the famed NASCAR driver, was the spokesman for this store for a reason:  he didn’t work there, and anyone who had wouldn’t endorse the product.

The first day I started at the office, I made a remark to one of the supervisors, “Wow, cubicles.  This is awesome!”  I had said this with much excitement to puzzling glares in my direction.  I was genuinely excited to be able to dress nicely, sit at a desk with a computer, and work with my mind instead of my back.  My grandma had always preached to me this notion, to work smarter and not harder.  I know she’d be proud.

When I’m having even the slightest bad day, I always tell myself that my worst day at the office is better than my best day at the orange big box store.  I even keep my tattered work apron hanging my closet to remind me of how grateful I am.

In my environment, people wish their lives away.  They arrive on Monday wishing it were Friday, and celebrate Friday until it is Monday.  Even on Friday, they dread the next two days because it will be Monday.  Some can’t even allow themselves to ENJOY their weekend that they so wished the other 5 days away to have.  I, on the other hand, tell my co-workers that I’m actually sad it’s 5 o’clock on Friday, because I’ll have to leave work for two whole days before I get to come back Monday to my awesome job!  I don’t win over many crowds, obviously.

Did you catch what I just said?  “I GET to come back to work.”  I GET to wake up in the morning, as opposed to the common Debbie Downer’s mantra of, “I have to go to work today.”  I GET to wake up with the Lord’s blessing of giving me one more day to do what I can to be the best Henry Petty I can be.  Living a life of gratitude will allow you to go places you’ve never been, and maintain a state of constant happiness and optimum performance.

It’s this attitude of being absolutely grateful for what I have that has gotten me very far and successful in the business I’m in.  I am so appreciative of what I have, that I do what I can to earn my keep.  It’s been 4 years since I began working in an office, and I’ve achieved massive success and been recognized on a large platform by the CEO and Executive staff of our company.

One of my co-workers favorite sayings when they sit down at 8 a.m. is,”ooh, I’m ready to go.”  My reply to this individual is always, “I can’t wait to get started!” followed by her retort, “Shut up, Henry!”   It sounds like someone’s got a case of the Mondays.  My remedy:  A teaspoon of gratitude… and a cup of coffee.

*To subscribe to Henry’s vlog, visit http://www.youtube.com/henryblazer20 *