The Unseasoned Weekly: January 21
How to deal with overwhelm in work and life, a pep talk for a tough week, apply for a role as an outreach coordinator.
- Words from the other side of outdoor seasonal work-
The Check In
If I had to choose one word to describe both how I’m feeling in January and what I’m observing in others, it would be this: overwhelmed.
When I reach an overwhelmed state - planning a work event, navigating a relationship issue, observing the state of the world at large - I remind myself, “Go smaller.”
This is based on the Emergent Strategy (and biomimicry) principle of fractals, or observing how the patterns of the universe repeat at scale. Put simply, what we practice at a small scale can reverberate at the large scale.
I find people who have spent lots of time outdoors - like you, perhaps - inherently understand this approach. I love to use it across our personal, civic, and professional lives. It’s important to feel a feeling and there is nothing wrong with the murky stagnation of grief. But what about the part after that, when you feel the urge to act but are frozen in which next step to take?
When I help someone spiraling about the overall trajectory of their career I ask, “What is one small skill you can develop in the next few months?”
In my role as a project manager, I ask, “What is the smallest task that leads to the completion of this goal?”
When I start to feel myself numbing to the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ policy introduced at the state or federal level I consider, “What is one way I can better organize queer folks here in rural Idaho?”
This downsizing is not to evade strategic thinking, nor to diminish the importance of structural change. It’s not brain hacking or avoidance. It’s mimicking nature. It acknowledges the way small actions can build to large results.
Starting with the small and personal restores a sense of agency and purpose when we are stuck. The small builds momentum to large, almost always.
In a year more overwhelming than ever, I’ve found myself frequently recommending adrienne maree brown’s book and framework. I often pick up her writings in the morning with coffee, or in the evening before bed.
What practices help you navigate overwhelm? I’d love to hear in the comments, or with a reply to this newsletter.
- Questions for Your Next Journal or Hike -
On Reflection
- Dispatches from the Unseasoned Community -
Heard on Social
Normally I share our own community conversations but this reminder felt more important this week. “Yes we will still find joy. No they can’t have it.”
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- Tips for your next application -
How I’d Apply
Engagement positions can be a great fit for outdoor seasonal folks with service industry or education backgrounds, including river guides, ski instructors, interpretation professionals, and outdoor educators.
The State of Idaho is hiring a Regional Outreach Coordinator (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho).
Unique Value Proposition (UVP): Did you attend postsecondary school in Idaho? If yes, did you utilize a Idaho Opportunity Scholarship or the FAFSA? If so, in your cover letter, tell the story of how these programs helped you as a student and how your experience helps you more authentically outreach to the target audience for these programs.
Sample Resume Bullet Point (National Park Service Ranger):
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