I am typically a high functioning, motivated, and positive person. When anxiety hits it is usually by surprise. I take on too many things, ignore the signs to rest, burn myself out, and suddenly the self-doubt, sleepless nights, and fuzzy brain kicks in. Hello there old friend, I didn’t miss you.
I haven’t been feeling like myself lately. Some days, I find it easier to fake a smile, to make another self-deprecating joke, to bury my head in work and to keep pretending everything is fine. Except that it has not been fine.
It is times like these that I could not be more grateful to be a Gingerhead. It is not for nothing that one of our values is to Be Kind. We look after each other and show patience and understanding when life happens (that part inspired by another agency friend – I always love that one JQB).
We’re having an incredibly successful year and it is easy to get caught up in that and forget that anxious moments can also come with success. You get so used to working hard for all the things that you are trying to achieve and operate on a kind of nervous, focussed energy. It is unfortunate that when you start to achieve them (beyond your expectations), that it can cause anxiety.
With the support of my lovely team, I have been taking steps to feel better. This has involved business and resource planning (we’re growing!) and making sure to get outside every day, take breaks when we needed, and to ask for help when needed, or to just stop and rest / do something fun.
With that in mind, I am finishing work for the day and heading out into the sunshine. Monday starts another busy week, and I am learning that rest is a hugely important part of work. Have a lovely Friday everyone. And for other business owners out there, I hope you are having a brilliant start to spring.