There are millions of workers out there who are, by the very nature of their job, surrounded by negativity.

I’m not talking about you because of that jerk who works in sales, or your co-workers because of their impossible-to-please boss. I’m talking about something more fundamental in countless jobs…

• The night worker at the airport baggage claim, who never sees anyone unless they are tired and upset because they lost their luggage.
• The dental hygienist who, at best, has customers anxious over the typical discomfort of an oral cleaning, and at worst gets paid to bring patients to bloody pain.
• The grief trauma counselor who never sees a happy client.
• The mobile-provider customer-support agent who only gets a call when there’s a billing or service problem.

…and there are many more, I’m sure. These are roles that cater to crisis and disappointment at their very core.

To those people working such jobs, I’d recommend you get the hell out. It can’t be healthy to be bombarded by such negativity all day.

To the rest of us, don’t underestimate the power to bring some joy to these peoples’ daily work. Reach out to them with positive feedback, let them know that you are delighted by your experience with them. What an impact it’ll have if you’re the only positive interaction they have all month.