The second stage of a relationship is reality. Sometimes what at first seems charming can become annoying. How did it get like this? This is the perfect job for you. You might find that you don't have enough time to complete certain tasks. You might be bogged down with rules and paperwork. True, being around the animals makes it all worthwhile, but disillusionment is starting to occur. As corny as this may seem, a job is a lot like a relationship. You get exactly what you put into it, and it takes work to come as close to perfection as possible.

It's quite possible to rekindle the flame. If you hate writing reports, do them in the morning to get them out of the way. Then make your rounds with the animals. Constantly challenge yourself to learn new things about the animals and your clients. Ask your boss if you can take on a new project if it interests you. Maybe you can assist someone in another department with a project that you can work on part-time — just as long as it doesn't interfere with your current job duties. New ideas are always a good motivator for keeping work fresh.

Become a speaker or mentor to someone. By staying on top of your career and helping others, you will bring back the excitement of falling in love with your career all over again. It's great to see a career through the eyes of someone who is new to it. You know that excitement. Combining that with your experience will help others. When you take on a role as a speaker or mentor, you will have to brush up on the things you know and learn even more about your profession. Now, that's exciting!