Full-filling.
Tired.
Exhausted.
Irritated.
Fed up.
But most of all, suffering from a serious case of customer-service-itis.
Welcome to summer in Alaska!
Unfortunately, it’s not even July, only the worst month of the summer where a maelstrom of tourists will flood the small towns of Alaska in droves.
Yeah, I’m already there.
I’m tapped. I am plum burnt out. My reservoir is on empty.
Which is challenging, when you work in the very industry that services these particular hoards.
As the days wear on, I’ve slowly found my energy depleting. People crowd in by the dozens and I instantly get irritated. Go away, my heart whispers in frustration while on the outside, I keep up the artificial facade and smile like there’s nothing I’d rather do in the world then provide them with the best possible customer experience.
I think where the problem lies has to do with the dichotomy of working in customer service. On the outside, we have to act as the accommodating and pleasing hostess; which, at times, is natural and good. But on days when we’re not feeling accommodating and pleasing, when on the inside we instead feel bitter, sour, and inconvenienced, it can be challenging to work through. The superficiality of our outward expressions isn’t congruent with how we’re truly feeling on the inside.
Thus, the problem.
It’s times like these that I know I need a break.
From work, from drama, from all the out of towners crowding my precious hometown.
We all do, every once and awhile.
And when it’s as busy as its been, when the days sometimes drag on repeating the same monotonous routine over and over and over and over again, it is especially important to take care of oneself.
Gotta keep that reservoir full.
So how have I spent my rare days off?
Hiking.
Fishing.
Road tripping to far away cities.
Doing the very things that draw thousands of visitors year after year to this great state.
While most people recover from rough workweeks with rest and relaxation, I instead choose to take advantage of the lovely summer days by getting outside and out of town.
Like waking up at 3am to catch the morning tide.
Or taking a mid-morning stroll straight up Slaughter Gulch.
And driving three hours to shop, cause why not?
And even though work sometimes follows me (let’s be honest, work always follows me), even though I may be running on a few hours of sleep, and even when the roads are congested with far too many motorhomes and rentals, I cherish those days.
They may not be days of rest, but they do replenish that reservoir.
And that in and of itself is… fullfilling.
