Hey ,
Nobody ever thinks they are headed for or are in the middle of a burnout. I certainly didn’t.
See, while you were getting my weekly emails (#automation), I was in the process of moving my family across the country from Connecticut to Idaho and visiting family along the way. That move was incredibly emotionally heavy for many reasons. I could
list them all out, but long story short…in two and a half months, I went through what most people would go through in two years.
While we were
crossing the states and visiting family, I was still working in the mornings for a few hours and again in the evenings for a few hours throughout that entire road trip.
By the time I got to Idaho and got my office set up again, I had no mental or physical energy to do this anymore. That should have been my first clue.
But I was forcing myself to sit in my office and do it. And it felt like torture.
My marketing was not hitting like I hoped it would. The email calls to action weren’t converting. My offers were not getting nibbles. I was ready to burn it all to the ground. I didn’t have the mental energy to keep doing this.
I was also showing the physical signs of burnout (but was in denial, of course.) Insomnia, migraine, no appetite, cold sores, back spasms, and even uncontrollable itching on my arms, causing me to scratch them open. I didn’t want to cook dinner for my family,
shower, or get dressed some days.
It took a few conversations with my business coach and my husband before I could acknowledge that I was
burnt out and needed to step away from the business for a while.
Admitting this brought on a lot of
tears. I was afraid that if I admitted I was burnt out, it meant I was a failure. I know that isn’t true, but realizing I needed to step away felt like admitting failure. But I have stepped away.
I am looking for my joy again. Joy in doing what I love and what fills me up for the person I am now. Because I am not the same person I was five years ago when I started down this road of entrepreneurship.
So, what does “finding my joy” look like?
Right now, it looks like checking emails and replying to messages in the morning, then walking away from my office for the rest of the day.
I have been getting creative in the kitchen, creating new recipes for family meals, and tweaking some gluten-free recipes to taste more like the “real deal.” I also remembered that I started writing a cookbook about three years ago to preserve our family recipes and history!
I have spent a lot of time in my craft room working with fabric and stained glass. Every year, my kids get a “handmade from mom” gift, and they look forward to opening that one box every year. This time away from my business is giving me the time to create something special for them this year.
I am
grateful that I am taking the time away. It’s giving me the space to rest and heal. Every time I have a negative thought about my business or about stepping away for a bit, I use the mindset exercise that my business coach taught me. I work on how the negative thought makes me feel and then reframe that negative thought into a positive one.
The work it takes to reach a shift in my mindset from a place of burnout can be consuming. It’s brought up a lot of emotions and thoughts about myself and my business that I have been working through. I have been journaling these thoughts and emotions and reframing them in a positive
light.
I’m not sure how long this sabbatical will last, but I know I am beginning to find joy in doing what I love again. It’s OK to take time away to take care of yourself.
I know the holidays are upon us in full swing. Make
sure you are taking some time for yourself to rest and refill your cup.
