It’s a new year! While many blogs are dishing advice on how to make 2015 the year all of your wildest dreams come true, I want to start off easy and show you a few of the little things that simply make me happy. Things that make my workspace a warm, welcoming place to get stuff done.
The greatest gift I received this Christmas was a coffee cup. My best friend knows I collect mugs, love Grumpy Cat and have a hard time saying “No,” so she bought me a thought-felt surprise that really speaks to my personality.
Here’s a frog candy dish I glued together on a crafting trip to Toledo, Ohio with another pal. He seems to fit right in here, though he might be a little overdressed for casual Friday in a bowtie and sport jacket. Today he’s offering suckers, but I’m soliciting suggestions from coworkers on their favorite hard candies to add to his stash.
This grumpy cat decoration was made by the same friend who gave me the mug. It watches over my impressive collection of awards and accolades – namely “Most Likely to Break a World Record” in a company poll.
“Most Extensive Collection of Whimsical Animal Paraphernalia.” I’m clearing a spot on my shelf for the Guinness trophy now.
This jellyfish was one of many crafted by a coworker’s granddaughters for our department Halloween theme last year – “Under the Sea.” I thought the idea was so clever and the end result so cute, I had to keep one. Just look at that craftsmanship!
My latest snag! Just this morning, someone put a box of pens with laser pointers on the giveaway table. I’d already grabbed one when a coworker came by to share the good news.
“Look what I found! They’re in the kitchen.” He then projected the Super P on various surfaces before wondering out loud, “I’m a 35-year old man. Why am I so fascinated by a laser pointer?”
And the idea for this blog post was born.
But life isn’t always just peaches and cream. Sometimes you get mad and want to punch something! On days like that I turn to my Dammit Doll – picked up on an outing in Texas with a few work friends. The poem on the front says:
“Whenever things don’t go so well,
And you want to hit the wall and yell,
Here’s a little Dammit Doll,
That you can’t do without.
Just grasp it firmly by the legs
And find a place to slam it.
And as you whack the stuffing out
Yell ‘Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!’”
Many of us spend more time at work than we do at home. Accessorizing my space with personal items that have stories behind them makes me happy and provides stress relief when deadlines are looming or I need a reason to smile.
What simple things put you in a good mood? Let us know in the comments!