When I was working at my last job in legal aid, I had wanted to print out the above picture and place it at my desk. I had the intention of working really hard to be the best representative I could be, and work so hard that I would change things. Just like Leslie.
Well, that didn’t happen. For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to decorate my cubicle with personal things. There were no reminders to be awesome or faces of characters who inspire me or photographs of loved ones. I didn’t even bring my custom-made mug with pictures of my dog. Maybe it’s because I knew deep down inside that this wasn’t the job for me and I would be leaving soon. Maybe it’s because I actually didn’t want to try that hard to make a positive difference. I think it was both, and they were connected.
Leslie Knope tries so damn hard and puts so much effort into her work (she gets like 3 and a half hours of sleep every night!) because she cares a lot about what she does. She loves her hometown of Pawnee, and will do whatever it takes to make it a better place. And she is also completely herself. Her decisions come from a place of integrity and sense of justice, and she’s willing to sacrifice herself in order to do good for the community (like with the recall vote in season 6).
I would love to find my inner Knope. I’m no Gryffindor or bureaucrat, and I’m certainly not as out-going or energetic as Leslie. But I do make a big effort in my work, no matter what it is, and I care about what I do. I want to try to be as passionate and hardworking as her, and hope that I too will make a big positive impact for others. I just have to find my Parks department-equivalent. And maybe a Ben Wyatt-equivalent, but that’s a post for another day.
And as for decorating my workspace? Well, I’ve started to do that at home. Among my to do lists, I have a statement with my intention, “Sharing stories to inspire empathy and kindness,” and I’m planning on adding inspirational quotes, including the Leslie Knope picture. And yes, the mug with my dog is there, too.
Story-Sharing for a Better World 
I understand. I have had many jobs where I didn’t decorate it with anything personal and even worked for places that didn’t encourage it. In Thailand, it’s difficult to decorate personal spaces because the walls are made of concrete (as oppose to dry wall), so you can’t hang anything without a drill that can drill into concrete! WTF?
As far as finding your inner Leslie 🙂 I think patience and introspection are the keys, at least in my case. I’m a late bloomer. Maybe you are, too? 🙂
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Concrete? Yikes. The places where we work and live are actually really important to our behaviour and well-being, so I believe that decoration and beautiful things have a good impact.
I think I am, too, Lani!
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