When it comes to work, as with everything else, we need to do our best to minimize the negative aspects and maximize the positive. Every job has its down side. The question is whether there is enough good to balance out the bad. One way to tilt the balance in a positive direction is to choose work that you are passionate about. This can make it easier to tolerate difficult people at work. Another way is to choose a group of people that you enjoy working with, or the freedom of working by yourself. This can make the unpalatable aspects of your work easier to deal with. Work relationships can be tricky, especially if you have difficulty with a superior in your chain of command. We often have to deal with personalities at work that we would never chose to spend time with if given the choice, but everybodys got to make a living. The feeling of financial dependence tied to the job certainly raises the stakes of those relationships.

While we may need to tread carefully with a supervisor to avoid losing our job, I think we also have to be careful not to be so paralyzed by fear that we become doormats. Feeling mistreated on a daily basis at work is enough to make just about anyone unhappy. If you find yourself in a work environment that is hostile, abusive, or extremely negative, I would recommend forming a contingency plan for alternative employment options.

Having a back-up plan can give you the courage you need to use the healthy boundary skills mentioned throughout this article. You might be surprised at the changes you can bring about in your workplace interactions. Sometimes showing more backbone at work can earn you more respect. But of course, all of this depends on the complicated and unique set of personalities that you are dealing with.

Ultimately, if you cant seem to escape or change the negativity, I highly recommend changing your job, or starting your own business working for yourself. Dont forget that your day-to-day happiness, or lack thereof, is YOUR LIFE! Dont settle for being miserable!

Some people have genuine limited flexibility with regards to where they can work, but for the vast majority of people it is their own false limitations that would make them settle for a job that they hate. If you choose not to change your job, then you will have to work extra-hard on your attitude. Try to become aware of the fact that every job is ultimately a choice. There may be other jobs that would pay less, require you to get more education first, force you to move, or require a long and arduous job search. There is always the possibility of starting your own business. If you realize this and still choose the job youve got, then evidently this job is better than your alternatives. The simple act of realizing that you are making the choice can cause a shift of attitude that makes you happier in the same situation.