Just yesterday I found myself giving some advice to a dear friend of mine when, approximately halfway through my two cents, I realized my advice was actually quite profound…and, quite honestly, advice that I needed to hear for myself.

Here’s the situation: my friend is a barista and has been at the same location for 5 years. Everyone there is like a big family and it’s seriously the most fun environment. However, after 5 years she was quite comfortable which occasionally led to boredom. She took a chance and transferred to another location that would work for her. She’s now completely miserable and desperately misses her old friends and “regulars”; wanting to be back with her “family” again.

Here’s where I came in:

I told her about the time I worked for eBay and how much of a second home and second family it was for me. When I had to leave for medical reasons, I was completely devastated and convinced that I would never work at another place that felt so much like my “happy place”.

Then I told her how 3 years later I was working for Kwal Paint and how much FUN I had working there. Our little department of 3 became a little family. We’d tease each other, support each other, swear at each other, and I’ve never spent so much time laughing at work. Like that time the three of us got hopped up on Starbucks, blared Lady Gaga through the computer speakers, and held office chair races! Unfortunately, due to the potential sale of Kwal, I had to take initiative to find another job. Again, I found myself upset to leave and convinced that I would never work at another place that felt so much like my “happy place”.

The next job was a call center environment with a little personality, but still fit the call center cookie cutter outlined by the movie Office Space. However, there was one rebel row that had a BALL. Our Row 10 was so much awesome that we would even have our own mini potluck lunches. We got to know each other, bonded, and helped each other out. Unfortunately the job itself was not a good fit for me and I ended up leaving there too. I’ve been convinced that I will never work at another place that felt so much like my “happy place”.

This is precisely when I had my aHa moment and the next few words gave me goosebumps.

“Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that you’re ever going to work with another close-knit, group of friends that feel like family because you don’t recognize that you’re the special, unique snowflake that makes that environment happen. Sometimes it’s all within you. So no matter where you go, you have the opportunity to create that fun, close, family-like environment because that’s who you are.”

Wow. Ain’t that some shit, coming from me.

This actually kind of kills me because…I can’t count how many times people have said how fun(ny) I am, how much they love my laugh, how much they love my stories, that I should go into acting, etc. and I just smile, say thank you, and appreciate that they think I’m funny too. This aHa moment made all of those positive comments sink in and suddenly a connection was made in my brain and I thought to myself, Oh my God, I’M A SPECIAL, UNIQUE SNOWFLAKE!

I’m actually filled with a renew sense of vigor in my approach to the tedium of job hunting! I wonder what type of office I’ll be in next. All I know is – wherever I end up – those people have NO idea how much fun they’re going to have!