Running your own creative business is tough. During the summer period when work slows down, I often feel this pressure that I’ve felt to continue to grind.
It’s not a pressure someone has put on me but one I’ve put on myself. This insistent need to keep busy even though most businesses are on holiday, I think a big part of it comes from seeing what everyone else is doing on social platforms and feeling the urge to compete, do better, and keep up.
“Comparison is the enemy of Creativity.”
Last week has been a tough week, I’ve experienced a new low. I have been feeling so unmotivated and I just want to sit in bed and binge-watch Netflix. And I did, I really enjoyed watching the new One Piece Live Action series.
It’s okay to feel this way, it’s important to acknowledge how you are feeling. To ignore your emotions is to allow them to build up and that explosion will bite you in the back later. Give yourself some grace. Take time to take care of yourself. It’s important to note it’s, Self-care not self-pity.
Here’s how I know I grinding instead of working from grace. Signs of my Anxious Hustle
I am anxious financially even though I don’t need to be.
I lack sleep because I am anxious because I am over-excited about projects or I don’t feel like I have enough time.
I have analysis paralysis - overthinking everything over strategizing, feeling confused and unsure, and overwhelmed
I set No boundaries for when I work and when I play.
I have no peace.
These are indicators that things need to change. I am heading to a dangerous situation and my body is warning me.
How do I counter this?
I intentionally take time to rest and take care of myself.
There is a huge correlation between mental health and physical health, and exercise. According to the Metal Health Foundation “Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our well-being. Even a short burst of 10 minutes of brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood. Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety. As Marcus Tullius Cicero states,'it is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigour.' Which simply means I need to recreate or get back to some form of daily excersise.
Third for me personally it means I need to realign myself with my Maker. He made me and he gave me purpose so it stands to reason that I go back to him to get my game plan.
Working from home can be tough but we can make it tougher on ourselved if we done have a routine. Set or reset your routine.
You don’t have to strive endlessly to make things happen. Grace empowers you to successfully do what you are called to do. Grace brings rest, grace brings peace. When I work from a place of rest, I have clarity. A clear vision who I am and where I want to go, so I am no longer striving and stressing but moving forward one step at a time.
NEWS!
I am excited to share I have a new book coming out in October with Little Island it is a poetry book that has classic and contemporary poems from Ireland titled “I Am The Wind.” As promised here is the cover reveal. It is now avalible for Pre-Order
Weekly Pep!
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Today’s guests are the amazing Hood Sisters Jen & Amy founders of Hoodzpah a collaborative branding and type studio based out of Southern California. They create to delight the disenchanted, defy the ordinary, and decipher the woods from the trees. Their unique style and Swiss-army-skillset have led to exciting collaborations with mom-and-pop brands and companies like Disney, the NBA and more. Check out their work here
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Multitasking can seem like its is the ideal choice for productivity. I explore this idea in my latest video
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Have a wonderful week! Keep Smiling!
Ashwin Chacko
Be you x Be True
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