As freelancers, no matter how hard we try to stay upbeat, focus on the positive and manage our work and non-work lives carefully, low moments happen. In Episode Four of In the Balance, I talk about how to create a low-moment survival kit so that you can deal with feeling overwhelmed, getting negative feedback from a client, or obsessively worrying about things that are out of your control. Feel free to contribute your own low-moment survival strategy in the comments! And if you’d like to watch the In the Balance episodes right when they come out (every other Friday), you can join the Standing Out private Facebook group.
Wonderful, and your contribution to the Standing Out group is hugely appreciated!
Loved it, Corinne! It felt very personal. Thanks for the tips. : )
I like the comment on having “no regrets” – I try to live my life that way, but it is not always easy. Thanks for the point-on analysis and the 1 – 4 tips! Helpful to hear it all laid out that way. Thanks for telling our “cheerleading” story too! I am always there for you (and vice versa!!!!)!
Thanks Corinne. I’m enjoying these videos.
Paradoxically enough, mindfulness can be a good way to “take your mind off it”. Don’t fight the overthinking: just realise you’re doing it. Sit back comfortably, close your eyes, focus on your breathing and watch those thoughts zinging around your head. It’s tough in the beginning because you’re probably feeling really worked up about whatever caused the low moment, but if you manage to just observe your thoughts detachedly for a few minutes, you automatically get some perspective. You might even nod off in the process :-).
Sounds new-agey and mightn’t work for everyone but it does for me, so just thought I’d mention it, FWIW.
Thanks for these videos, Corinne!
I love the inspiration file idea and recommend it for over-thinkers and worriers like myself: two years ago, I created a “Good News” folder and filled it with screenshots from positive e-mails/Twitter conversations. It’s a great pick-me-up.
Other than listenning to my favourite albums, my go-to activity when overwhelmed is running. Focusing on training for races this year has definitely kept my mind off irrelevant worries, and pushing physical limits really brings a positive outlook on one’s capabilities and life in general!
Thanks, Corinne! The series is very inspiring.
I’m dealing with a low moment right now, and I just found my perfect cheerleader, which is asleep, because I stay up until 4AM, and she wakes up at 4AM.
I will surely follow your advice and talk to her. Thanks again!
Thiago