How to Get a Summer Job That Will Revolutionize Your Mental Health

 

Why spend the summer doing the same old same old when you can go on an adventure you’ll remember about forever? I spent a summer driving a 15 passenger van all over the US and it was one of the best things I ever did for my mental health. Tons of places hire seasonal workers for the summer. You could be a bartender at a dude ranch or work at a hotel in Yosemite. If you’re feeling depressed or stuck sometimes you need to change up your environment and get a little adventure in your blood and seasonal jobs are the perfect way to go explore. From camp counselor to North America tour guide, I’ve worked a fair amount of seasonal jobs. Here are some reasons I think they totally kick ass.

 

You Get to Go Somewhere Awesome

You can find seasonal jobs in some really incredible places. From Alaska to Yosemite to Hawaii you can get a summer job in some kick ass locations. Peoples vacation destinations can become your backyard. There’s so many beautiful and wonderful places to see in the world. You could work at a resort in Hawaii or a guest ranch out in Montana. Spend some time brainstorming and start looking for jobs in places that make you feel inspired and excited.

Meet New People

Seasonal jobs are great places to meet new friends. Most people working these types of jobs are dedicated to traveling and personal growth. At my jobs I was fortunate to get to know some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. The stories and life experiences they had inspired me to want to do more exploring and have adventures of my own. If you want to live a happy and adventurous life you need to surround yourself with people who are already living that way. Getting a seasonal job is a great way to meet these type of people.

 

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Moving somewhere new and starting a new job are both stressful things on their own. Combining the two will definitely push you outside of your comfort zone. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice healthy coping skills as you encounter any number of new or stressful situations. Getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to change how you feel. If you want to feel different you can’t keep doing the same things, you need to do something different. Get out of your comfort zone and see if you can find something that makes you feel good.

Learn a New Skill

From a white water rafting guide to a summer camp water ski instructor there is a huge range of jobs you can find that will help you learn new skills. This is your chance to try something new that you wouldn’t get to do otherwise. I spent a year guiding canoe trips after I finished graduate school. Prior to getting the job I didn’t know how to canoe and had only back country camped a handful of times. The time I got to spend leading trips on the water was some of the best times of my life.

Get Out of a Rut

Sometimes you need to shake things up to get out of a rut. A change in environment can do wonders for depression and anxiety. Mental health is something I take seriously and you shouldn’t go and start a new job if you’re not in a place to have a positive experience. You know yourself best. I once started a job halfway across the country in the middle of a full blown personal crisis but I felt like I could pull it together and take care of my responsibilities. I knew if I pushed myself out of my comfort zone I would get through it and I’d be in a better place mentally because of it. Judge your own situation and make the best choice for you.

Become Independent

There’s something so freeing about moving somewhere new on your own. I love the feeling of knowing that I am completely independent and I can go anywhere and manage to “make it” (aka eat and sleep inside). I became empowered by traveling alone and it turns out I’m a lot less willing to put up with bullshit than before I moved around.  After my adventures I felt empowered and now I don’t feel like I need to keep people around if they’re behaving badly. The people in my life are of a much higher quality now that I’ve had to stand on my own.

Impress Future Employers

It’s been years since my last seasonal job buy they’re still some of the biggest conversation starters on my resume. A summer working in a National Park or teaching English in South America can make your resume stand out from the rest of the bunch. In my experience people admire and respect the experiences I had while traveling. It shows I’m an adaptable person that works hard and that I’ve been able to succeed in a number of different work environment.

Get Some Stories

I’ve always admired people that have led full and interesting lives. I’m so glad I have so many crazy experiences and great stories to tell. It makes me feel like I’ve spent my time doing things that are worthwhile. Trust me, if you move somewhere to work a seasonal job you’ll have some good stories to tell. I’ve had some of the best and worst days of my entire life traveling while working seasonal jobs. Those experiences changed my life and made everything worth it in the end.

Change Your Environment

Sometimes you need to GTFO of where you are and do something hard and kind of crazy. Changing my environment is one of the quickest ways to pull myself out of a funk. Sometimes it’s a small environment change like rearranging my bedroom furniture and sometimes it’s a big change like moving across the country by myself with one suitcase and no money. There are times in life when you just need to be somewhere new. A seasonal job is a great way to give yourself a mental fresh start.

If you feel inspired to try and get a seasonal job for the summer sign up for my email list below and I’ll send you my favorite sites for finding jobs and some articles and blogs for inspiration. If you feel like you need a change I hope you find the strength to go for it. You’re always one decision away from changing everything in your life.

Related Posts