3 Tips for when your new small business starts sucking the life out of you.

I am glad that when I was in the beginning stages of starting my pole studio, my friend encouraged me to “vlog”.  So basically I spent a lot of time talking to a camera during my ups and downs.

The video below was me after a long day - about a week after getting the keys to my new studio, driving home. The funny thing is that if you watch my daily vlogs previous to this one, I progressively get less bubbly, more tired, and look like the life is getting sucked from me. 

This is what the beginning of small business burnout looks and sounds like......

This brings me to writing this blog! What do you do when you get to the point of exhaustion, loneliness, despair, soon after small successes in getting your business up off the ground?

Any small business owner, in my mind, is a warrior.  Someone who is mentally, physically and emotionally strong to have to deal with the numerous tasks it takes to get a business up and going.  What I have learned over the years, and which is also shown in this old video, are these 3 things you can turn to when you become a whiny, tired, unenthused small business owner. Trust me, it is part of the gig, but you don’t have to live in it!

If you are feeling anything like I did in this video, know that you are not alone, and these three things can help get you back to your positive enthusiastic self!  ;) 

1.When things are getting you down, let it out!
There are a lot of ways to express yourself.  Some are more healthy than others. It is crucial, however, to have some form to express how you are feeling when things are not good.  Since most friends and family won’t want to hear you complain or talk about your small business owner problems - there are other ways to get it out so you feel better.  Journaling or vloging is a great go to. Writing it out, or speaking it to a camera are healthy ways to say how you feel so that it isn’t staying all bottled up inside. Plus, if you choose to keep those journals or videos, it is sometimes nice to look back on them later on down the road. (like I do randomly with my vlogs)

2 . Treat yourself and schedule some time for something you enjoy.  
Sometimes the last thing you make time for when you are juggling 100 spinning plates is yourself. There are lists of things to do, responsibilities and people depending on you. The list never ends, but you are one person and can only do so much.  When you start feeling run down, that is a sign you need to make some time for yourself. Get your hair done, get a massage, take a day or half day OFF! Make plans you can look forward to. Something that you can look forward to and enjoy at the end of the week helps you focus on some light at the end of your tunnel. If you aren’t nurturing the creator, the creation will suffer as well. Treat yourself!

3. Count your blessings and remind yourself what you are grateful for.  
No matter how crazy and hard things get, if you take even a moment to ask yourself, “What am I grateful for?”, you will soon be reminded how all of the stress, decision making, lists, and responsibilities are really minimal in the big scheme of things.  Taking a moment to remind yourself what your grateful for, even if it is to have some lotion to put on your hands, a warm cup of coffee that you are able to purchase for yourself, and having a running car to get you down the road for the day is all it takes.  Counting what your grateful for puts you in the present moment and pulls you out of the lower feelings of sadness and stress. Focus on what you have instead of everything else going wrong and you will immediately start feeling better!

As I progressed in my years of owning my own business, I soon learned that being in contact with other small business owners like myself was crucial to me not loosing my mind.  Having someone who understands what your going through can make all the difference when you feel like your world is crumbling all around you.  Never be afraid to ask for support and if you seek it out, it usually seems to show up just in the neck of time. 

When all else fails, know that what you are doing is not easy, and everything will pass in time.  Just keep breathin (as Ariana would sing), take some time to re-center, be grateful for the little things and keep going onward and upward! 

And if you are looking for a hand to hold as you get your studio up and running, check out my 60 day Smart Start Studio Owner Course.