On cross country treks and job searches
“Wait, you’re driving from Maine to California? And back again?” is the usual response I receive when sharing with friends my annual plan to spend winter in California where my extended family lives. (Because I have a dog who is my family, too, I drive.) Friends can’t believe I’d do a 3000-mile trip twice in one year. Friends can’t believe I’d take seven days to do what most do in seven hours via airplane. When I look at it objectively, I understand that. Thinking about a 3000-mile driving trip solo is daunting. It’s especially daunting when you think about your end goal — finishing the drive. The one thing I do (admittedly, some days this is merely aspirational!) is think of the traveling day as the drive I’m doing. That’s the drive that needs to be finished. “Today is Denver to Park City,” for example. Then, I enjoy the journey, the sights, and the destination. I also know my mileage limits and don’t exceed those. So, each day is an interesting eight- to ten- hour workday and I don’t arrive completely worn out.
What does this have to do with the job search? Turns out, everything. Searching for a job is hard and can be very overwhelming. Not sure how long it will take, but sure of where you want to arrive (@new job!), it can seem incredibly tedious and just plan long. Perhaps thinking about it the way I think about my cross-country trek could help.
What is today’s goal? Today’s task? Do I need to write one cover letter? That’s enough for one day. Do I need to contact the friend of a friend in XYZ business to see if she’ll meet me for an informational interview? That’s enough for one day. Having the long view is important, but so is just being in the day you’re in and thinking of the one thing you need to do that day and doing it.
Equally important: not beating ourselves up if some days we get overwhelmed. I’m big on finding ways to cope — the one-day-at-a-time method — but I’m also big on being kind to myself. Some days I just want to curl up under the covers and not do the one thing, let alone think about the five things. When my son was a little guy and had the occasional bad day, I knew it would pass and the next day wouldn’t be so challenging. Maybe we extend the same grace to ourselves as we do to our young children. If you need a day off to curl up under the covers, be kind to yourself and take time for rest.
So, my goal today is to drive from Park City, Utah, to Lovelock, Nebraska, get some groceries, make some supper in my VRBO, and get some rest for the journey tomorrow. I’m headed out!
