Young Woman Trades $5,000 Monthly Income For $88 Rent In Yosemite's Wilderness: 'I'm So Young, And I'm So Burned Out'

Redding, California-based 24-year-old Hanna Beatty was an assistant for a small escrow firm.

After a call from an upset customer took a toll on her, Beatty recognized her burnout and desire for more. She later told her boss that her position could be cut during layoffs. A week later, she was let go and embraced it as a chance to follow her wilderness dream.

"This person was just not very happy and decided to take it out on me," Beatty told CNBC. "As soon as I got off the phone I had this moment of clarity, like, 'I deserve more than this. I'm so young, and I'm so burned out.'"

Even though she faced a potential pay reduction, with Beatty's job at the escrow firm generating $5,000 of monthly income, she said she desired "something simpler" than working over 50 hours weekly.

After a winter stint at Lake Tahoe's Heavenly Ski Resort, she moved to Yosemite National Park in March. She and her boyfriend, Justin Olsen, currently work and live as seasonal employees.

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According to Beatty, the process was swift, and within two weeks and one interview each, she and Olsen secured positions as bike attendants at two of Yosemite's bike rental stands.

The job at Yosemite offers a pay rate of $16.45 per hour, involving four 10-hour shifts weekly. This schedule grants Beatty and Olsen three-day weekends, usually Sunday through Tuesday. Their contracts are in effect from March to November.

According to the report, by the end of March, Beatty and Olsen settled into a compact one-bedroom cabin within the park, each paying $88 monthly for their accommodation. "It's basically the size of a large tool shed," Beatty said. "But it's insulated and comfortable, and our bed is lofted, so we have plenty of storage."

"The best part about working here is that I get to call one of the most beautiful places in the world my office," she added. "But I also get to meet interesting, friendly people from all over the world ... Yosemite is just a giant melting pot."

However, Beatty is still determining her future in seasonal employment after her contract expires in November. She said her time working in Yosemite has profoundly shifted her perspective on work and aspirations.

"At the end of the day, a job is a job. No matter what job you have, whether it's seasonal work or a desk job, there are inevitably going to be challenges, but it doesn't have to be this constant race to the finish line," Beatty added.

This story is part of a new series of features on the subject of success, Benzinga Inspire.

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