There is always stress to manage in life, like stacking stones. Stress and then more stress, and more stress on top of that. I love my life and thoroughly enjoy my business and my work - but I am no exception - life is stressful.
My #1 stress management technique is to eliminate all possible sources of stress, but really this has proven to be an inadequate plan of attack. Seriously. Cuz it is not possible.
Stress must be invited into my life occasionally in order to keep taking on new challenges... this year I applied to a host of big shows for my artwork, hoping for the best for my little business.
I was rejected (or wait-listed) from every show I applied to. When last year I was accepted to anything I tried! The plan was to build on my success and added confidence from 2010 and bring my glass artwork to even more shows in 2011. Evidently this is not going to happen. I am trying to roll with the punches, and I feel beaten. C'est la vie. I am busy with many other projects and plans, but its depressing none-the-less.
Heres my personal take on stress. I need to learn better techniques to learn to manage it. Anxiety and panic are unwelcome attendees in my personal and business life. Seems awkwardly overly personal to share like this on my blog - but hey - its honest, and its me. Lately I feel depressed and this is why. Rejection. Blah. Stress. Yuck.
my Personal Top 5 Sources of Stress:
- success/failure
- rejection
- money
- time management
- general shenanigans
My Top 5 Stress Relief Techniques:
- sex
- yoga and/or meditaion
- making artwork, getting crafty
- hanging out with friends
- exercise
Looking at stressful things from another perspective can help sometimes too... its a guarantee that there are many ways I could be far more stressed than I already am, and I am thankful for the advantages of my little life, but this gratitude does not alleviate my stress. Depression is a very self-absorbed state of mind.
2 comments:
First, I think it's interesting that you find success as stressful as failure!
Not that I'm really any good at it and therefore probably in no position to offer advice (how's that for a disclaimer!) but I *try* to deal with the things I can control. Being rejected (harsh, how about not chosen?) for a show? not in your control. Money? often not in our control. General Shenanigans? often not in our control. Time management? Something we can try to get a handle on. All of your stress relief techniques? You can - for the most part - control them. Focusing on the good (controllable) will help alleviate the stressful. Now if I could only take my own advice! It's why I'm backing away from my business a bit, so I can try to get a handle on those things that I can control. 2¢
For sure! I get in a rut of focusing on the negative... changing that limited focal point to more positive matters would be a good thing. Tim keeps telling me that all I want to talk about is negative things.
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