Every creative business owner struggles at one time or another. This year you may feel like you are struggling with your writing – product descriptions, blog posts, content for other websites. Next year it may be a struggle with feeling burnt out or overwhelm. How do you move beyond that feeling that you are struggling and get back to being productive?
First, read that first paragraph again. We ALL struggle in our creative businesses. Whether you are a writer, a maker of beautiful handmade goods or a pastry chef – we all struggle. That alone might make you feel a little better. It might be helpful to know that there is someone else out there struggling too. It’s also always good to realize that the people who struggled last year probably aren’t struggling this year. In fact they are probably having a stellar business year. You aren’t alone and it will pass.
Which leads to my next point: nothing is permanent. Yes, things stink right now. You are out of ideas, lost your mojo or just feeling like everything you make lately is awful. But this won’t last forever. Nothing does. If you look at this kind of funk you are in as a temporary thing, it is much easier not to make such a big deal out of it. It is when we think that our period of struggling is the end of our career that it can really drag us down. Know that this time will end and you will bounce back. You will.
There is a solution. There is a book, website, guru or television show for just about every struggle you can think of. There are experts out there who can help you. Search Amazon for books related to what you are struggling with. Do a Google search and seek solutions to the problem you are having. Search for a support group, a Facebook group, or a group of business friends for the solution to what you are struggling with. Chances are someone else has been where you are and can share how they got beyond their own struggle. Hearing their ideas might help you find the key to moving past your own struggle.
However, a word of caution about looking to others for advice: Listen to your gut. If the solution the writer, guru, friend is offering doesn’t feel right for you feel free to move on to the next writer, guru, or friend for different information. Just because it is free advice doesn’t mean you have to take it.
Seek gratitude. If you are feeling like the struggle is dampening your spirit, be sure to start a gratitude journal. Simply write down 5-10 things each day that you are thankful for. Sometimes it is that small shift in our thinking that can lead the way for other changes.
The next step? Hang in there. Take things day by day, be extra good to yourself, do your research and know that this feeling isn’t permanent. It won’t be long before you can’t remember what it was you were having such a hard time with. Remember why it is that you chose to be the owner of a creative business and just keep moving.
How do you move beyond struggle?
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