Help wanted! Inquire within.

I don’t know how to make beverages look this pretty, but I’m willing to learn. (Image by yen park)

It seems like every business in town is hiring.

This is especially welcome news in a summer vacation spot after the year we’ve had. Maybe it’s too soon to call, but it’s looking like we’ve made it.

Surprisingly, I’m finding myself wistful for my own past summer jobs and for working at a job in general. I mean, I’m not going to apply to work at the neighborhood coffee shop. I already have enough work to do. However, I’m tempted.

Whenever something comes up like this, I try to figure out what it is about what I’m seeing that is compelling to me. What is the picture I have in my mind about how it would be, and how is that different from what I’m currently experiencing?

In this case, I have achieved my dream of truly location-independent work. It took twelve years, but I finally got there. And now, I miss having a place to go. I miss interacting in person with coworkers, clients, students, and customers. And I miss that feeling of working for an hour and getting paid for an hour.

It’s kind of funny that I’m now craving the opposite of what I sought for so long, but I guess that’s pretty human of me. Ultimately, I hope to find a balance. My interest in a coffee-shop job doesn’t mean that I have to rush out and get one; instead, I can make changes to my work life (and my life in general) to make it more satisfying.

I did really well working from home throughout the pandemic and confining the majority of my interactions with other humans to Zoom and phone calls. But now, I want to be out in the world. I want to meet new people, see new places, have new experiences, learn new skills, and confront new challenges. I don’t necessarily have to take a job to do that, but it’s a measurable, structured way to make, along with others, a tangible contribution to a cause. That’s appealing.

It’s interesting to see how my own desires and expectations have changed in unanticipated ways since the start of the pandemic. Above all, I have the energy for something new. That definitely was not the case a few months ago. However, instead of rushing out and using that energy with the first opportunity that comes up, it might be useful for me to reflect on the possibilities in front of me. That way, I can move forward in alignment with my long-term goals, not just my short-term ones.

It is exciting to see my city wake up after a long period of relative dormancy. It’s wonderful to see new ideas and initiatives and creative projects that have nothing to do with C*vid. I’m so happy to be alive and healthy and ready for this. I certainly could be a barista or a server. And there are lots of other things I could be, too—perhaps less defined and clear at this time, but I am grateful to have the time and energy to figure out what’s next.

What about you? Are you going to make any chances to your lifestyle or work as your area reopens? How have your plans changed in the past year or so?