Have you ever sat in a parking lot with your car in park and the ignition off when the car beside you begin to move, making you feel like YOUR car is moving? You probably felt startled until you realized that you were actually sitting still and it was the other that was moving.
Sometimes owning a small creative business can be like that – you can feel like everyone else around you is moving while you are stuck in the same place. It can be a little upsetting, especially if you depend on income from your business to pay the rent or other bills.
I think so often we are simply biding your time. Sometimes we work really hard and put a lot of ideas out into the universe all at once, which is sort of like a throwing cosmic spaghetti at the wall to see if it will stick. Some of your ideas will work and others won’t, but you have to wait and see. It’s time to let the hard work speak for itself. This period of waiting can be frustrating, especially when you have to wait longer than you think you should.
Here are some things you can do while you wait:
- Have patience and have faith. It’s easier said than done, but fretting and worrying about how things are going won’t get you anywhere. Sometimes it takes a while for your work to reach the right people at the right time.
- Keep working. Don’t think that this is a time to sit back and play solitaire on your computer. Keep throwing spaghetti at the wall, knowing that sooner or later, things are bound to stick.
- Stop looking out the window. Looking around at how everyone else is doing, especially when you feel like you are missing out on something, can be good if you are a competitive person. However, if you’re insecure, it can be a trainwreck. Stop looking at everyone else and study your own work. Push yourself to try new techniques and work with new tools. You can get out and get inspired or take the time to asses where you are versus where you would like to be. Get busy, stay busy and keep your eyes on your goals.
- Go with the flow. Sometimes just knowing that there will be lulls in the action can help during quieter moments. Rest up and know that you’ll be moving at full speed again soon.
By: Vicki O’Dell, The Creative Goddess
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