The Burn Out

The Burn Out

“First and foremost, a start-up puts you on an emotional rollercoaster, unlike anything you have ever experienced. You flip rapidly from day-to-day — one where you are euphorically convinced you are going to own the world, to a day in which doom seems only weeks away and you feel completely ruined, and back again. Over and over and over. And I’m talking about what happens to stable entrepreneurs. There is so much uncertainty and so much risk around practically everything you are doing. The level of stress that you’re under generally will magnify things incredible highs and unbelievable lows at whiplash speed and huge magnitude. Sound like fun?” 

-Marc Andreessen, Creator of Netscape

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Entrepreneurship is a deeply personal journey and it can seem nearly impossible to separate your identity from the business that you are trying to create.

We have discussed this before; the ups and downs of being your own boss and trying to create something of value while reminding yourself of what it’s worth, and trying to push yourself to get more things done when you just feel like giving up. But this blog post is different- because It happened to me.

I have experienced this burnout before and I got tired of the hustle and grind and got a day job and took a break, but something amazing happens when you try to give up on something you are meant to do; you find reasons to just make it through. Make it through one more day, one more hour, one more week – and we found the light at the end of the tunnel. This is without having to give up completely like I wanted to, forego my time and focus by getting another day job, and without having to give up my company AKA my dreams.

Life got hectic and I got caught up in the storm. I hit the wall. I was burnt out. I was unmotivated, and I started questioning everything I had created and that I ever believed I could have done in the first place. Things didn’t get better, they got worse. Much much worse and every time I thought I couldn’t take any more – something else happened.

It’s so easy to look back on bad times once things have turned around and see the reason behind why things happened. For me, I know I had to experience the upset and shake-ups so I could be where I am right now and that’s in the best position I have ever been, and I know what I want and how I plan to get it. But the last 13 months I couldn’t even decide what I wanted in my coffee without stressing.

When you feel yourself starting to walk down this dangerous path it’s important to remember:

• You’re not alone

7% of the population suffer from depression, yet 49% of entrepreneurs are dealing with the effects of depression. Like everything else in life, it is only temporary and the pain will fade in time.

• Focus on the long –term

Mark Cuban said, ”It doesn’t matter how many times you fail, you only have to be right once”. You never know what’s next, you never know whose eyes are looking at your brand, and you never know what life has for you next.  But when you are facing painful truths behind the dream you are trying to make a reality it can feel like your entire world is crashing down.

• Get Help

There are ALWAYS bumps and setbacks in life but asking for help is not a sign of weakness, counterintuitively it shows maturity and self-awareness. If you notice yourself going to a dark place and decide you need to do something about it, that’s brave. Also, it’s important to note that every single person in the world needs help sometimes, not just entrepreneurs.

So how do we avoid the burnout altogether?

Everyone has their own tips to avoid a burnout, but this is what worked for me.

• Get rid of any stress triggers.

I was surrounded by a lot of negativity which was a huge trigger for me. I had people in my circle, who have never taken ANY risks in their entire lives, telling me what I should and shouldn’t do. I went into serious hermit mode and reevaluated everything and everyone in my life. When I started surrounding myself with better people (who believed in me and cared about me and supported me) my entire life shifted.

• Lose the Guilt

When you work from sunrise to sunset and no one is there telling you “well done ” while you have unstructured time, you can start to feel guilty when you aren’t working especially when important tasks are still outstanding. The best way to avoid burnout is to schedule your downtime. Watch TV, go for a run, take a nap, read. Whatever works for you, but it needs to be part of the routine.

• Exercise & Meditation

This tip is called: Adulting. LOL KIDDING. The tools I recently introduced to my schedule and that I am so thankful for would be working out and meditation. I am a horrible meditator, so I try to do a short 10 min mediation every morning (I do them using different YouTube guided meditations – leaves no excuses) and I got a trainer to push me. Not only were both of these things LIFE CHANGING for me and my mindset but I also got to show myself on a daily basis my inner strength.

• Remember why you started

However, you got the inspiration to choose this life and take this chance, find a way to remind yourself of that feeling again. Review your first business plan. If you take CRAZY notes like me, go over those notes, your plans, the coffee shops you would go work out of. Whatever helps bring you back to your place of motivation.

Now we are in 2019 and ready to go. Pink Coral Miami has so many new and exciting things on the go. Our 2019 collection is to die for, and we will be launching our T-shirt Collection (and introducing Men’s clothing with the T-shirt line). There is no stopping me now!

With all that said, If anyone reading this needs someone to talk to, PLEASE email me. I may not know it all but I found my reason again. Why I am doing this, what I want, and why the bad days are worth it just as much as the good days. If I can help anyone going through the rough side of things, I gladly will do it: Jessica@pinkcoralmia.com

And finally, if you are still here and still reading this and still following Pink Coral and Tagged In Miami from the bottom of my heart I thank you!!

The dog days are over!!