All that and a bag of chips

Life at work can get hectic often. Shocking!!...... I know.
We all go through some stressful times at work. Whether we are running from one meeting to the next, staying up late to meet certain deadlines or dealing with changes that are, many times, outside of our control. We all experience a certain degree of stress that ebbs and flows in our professional lives. All that takes a toll on us, our psyche and morale; we get frustrated, tired, and feel overwhelmed. All of which are natural responses to stressors that push us to question our career choices and/or the environment in which we work. We seek validation for expending so much emotional energy and ask ourselves "Why do I work here?", "What's the point of doing all of this ?", "I wonder what kind of other job opportunities are out there?" and most of us would then search for answers to these questions. Some might look for a mentor to help them navigate through it, others might look at the end result of the project causing the stress or the financial reward that would come from going through such period. While others might look at the work environment and decide that it is green enough right where they stand just as others, unfortunately, might not see a way through these periods except out.  
I have gone through a lot of the same frustrations and struggles and asked myself the same questions many times. I have looked for answers in many different ways, sometimes at different places, and as I grew professionally I developed a variety of coping mechanisms. Recently however, the most successful weapon in my armamentarium has been........a bag of chips. Yup, a bag of chips! the one pictured above to be exact. 
See, a couple of years ago I ran into one of my colleagues at the vending machine at work. We were both reaching for the same kind of chips and had a good chuckle about how we both indulge in such a guilty pleasure. A couple of weeks later, I bought a couple of bags and went up to his office for a quick break. We chatted as we enjoyed the jalapeno crunchy goodness. A little while later, I walked into my office only to find a bag of chips on my desk. I knew exactly who it was from and the gesture brought a huge smile to my face. From that moment on, this became our norm. And the chips exchange became more and more meaningful because we started leaving it for each other at the times when we knew that the other needed a little "hey, you're doing a good job and will get through this". It's not the chips itself (although I do thoroughly savor a good bag of jalapeno chips) but the gesture behind the bag. The thought that someone else sees how hard you're working and appreciates it. The thought that there is someone to listen to you if needed.
Many a times it's the little things that make a big difference. A thank you note to someone, or a "hey let's grab lunch" or even a bag of chips would get someone out of their funk and  break them out of their cycle of stress. Be that person to your colleagues and I am certain that the favor will be returned and work will begin to feel less like....work.

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