Right Now Isn’t Forever (And That’s A Good Thing)

Do you ever just get into a funk that you just can’t seem to shake, until all of a sudden you just do?

(Go with me on this one for a bit here, I am aware this is a confusing opening to an article lol).

As freelancers, many of us are likely very familiar with the continual ebb and flow that comes with working for ourselves,

(Some people refer to this as the feast or famine cycle, when you flip flop from having a lot of work to not much work, causing a lot of stress along the way).

And while I am not here to deny that these periods exist,

(I am currently coming out of a lower workload period!)

I wanted to take this week’s article to talk about how this cycle affects our mental health and emotions — because, surprise, they are very closely connected!

Allow me to explain:

I somehow never learn

If you are anything like me, then anytime your work or personal life changes, you are quick to assume that that is your new normal.

(Yes, somehow after four years of freelancing and almost 29 years of life, I still have not figured out that things will always change, even when they feel permanent at the time. It is my fatal character flaw lol).

And while this behavior isn’t always a bad thing,

(I like to think that during the good times, it really helps me lock into good energy about my work and self-worth, which we love to see),

This habit gets me into the most trouble when I am having a period of feeling down about my work or productivity level,

Because, for me, it is so much easier to focus on the negative things that I can “fix” about my business or working process, rather than celebrating or enjoying what is going well.

(Not a great way to look at things, but I have a strong feeling I am not alone in this!)

So, when I combine this pattern of focusing on what is going wrong in my life with my general proclivity for being a titch on the dramatic side,

I all of a sudden find myself jumping from a relatively productive working day to lying face down on the floor of my office on a Tuesday night screaming,

(And not in the fun, productive, artistic wallowing way, more in the “Claire this is not an appropriate response to being ghosted on a single email” way).

So, as you can imagine, when I get into this type of funk, I find it super hard to imagine a future where I am feeling predictive and excited again,

(Queue the dramatic spiral where I tell my husband that I will never achieve anything ever again),

And then, every single time, these intense feelings pass, and I am indeed able to keep going.

(Talk about emotional whiplash!)

Change is inevitable — and it’s also hard

So, what is the point of this article, other than establishing that I definitely have some good content to bring to my therapist next month?

As I am personally coming out of a period of having less work and a lower sense of productivity that has directly impacted my mood,

I wanted to use this article as a reminder to myself and to you:

That, for good or for bad, your right now is not forever — and this too shall pass. And that is OK.

Whether you are on the top of the world with your business right now or are in a bit of a struggle spot, this moment will pass and things will change,

(And, if you can swing it, learning to enjoy the journey and embrace the change is going to be the best way to avoid big emotional blowouts. Easier said than done, but it’s something I am working on!)

I hope this blog is a gentle reminder to be kinder to yourself,

Because being a freelancer and business owner is hard, but you can (and are) doing the damn thing, which is so impressive and inspiring, regardless of where you are at right this very moment.

Until next week,