Each year is represented by an animal sign in the Chinese Zodiac, which is based on the moon and has a 12 year cycle. There is also a cycle of five elements- wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Together, this creates a 60 year cycle. This means 2021 – the year of the Metal Ox – has not happened for 60 years!

The ox is a valued animal in Chinese culture because of its role in agriculture. In the Chinese Zodiac, the ox is associated with hard work and serenity, and people who were born in the year of the ox are said to be hardworking, honest, diligent, and dependable.

With a strong sense of responsibility, those born in the year of the ox are perfect for professional and stressful jobs, making good doctors, lawyers, teachers, and businessmen.

Some famous people born in the year of the ox are:

§  Barack Obama – August 4, 1961 – Metal Ox

§  Vincent Van Gogh – March 30, 1853 – Water Ox

§  Walt Disney – December 5, 1901 – Gold Ox

§  Margaret Thatcher – October 13, 1925 – Wood Ox

We spend the majority of our day at work (or for some these days, your work-from-home environment) so why shouldn’t we have fun while doing it?!

January 28^th is National Have Fun at Work Day! This holiday is an opportunity for employees to blow off some steam and remember that just because it is your job, doesn’t meant it has to feel like work.

We can celebrate with activities such as having lunch with a co-worker or playing music in our office while we work.

Never underestimate the power of a compliment. Sometimes a kind word is all someone needs to make a tough day better.

In fact, a 2012 Forbes study concluded that a compliment serves as a social reward that activates the same part of the brain as when a person is rewarded cash.

In the study, participants were asked to perform a specific finger pattern on a keyboard as fast as they could. The participants were separated into three groups- one in which participants were complimented individually by an evaluator; another in which individuals watched another participant receive a compliment; and a third in which individuals evaluated their own performance on a graph. The next day, those in the group who received direct compliments from an evaluator performed significantly better than those from the other groups.