Vulnerability.
There's no better time than the present for anything so I figured now would be a good time to get vulnerable and tell you guys the unglamorous side of being a creative small business. Burnout is so real and if you don't take care of yourself, your body will pick a time for you to rest and it won't be convenient either.
It's very rare that I get burnout from actually creating. After all, I was taking 4 studio classes at once one semester; While also learning wire wrapping at home. Creating has never been the issue for me. It's my empathetic side that tends to burn me out. I love talking and chatting with everyone; I truly do. However, the physical and mental demand of markets can get to be a lot if you do them frequently.
I took two days after Glen Park to just relax and rest my body. I was legit Jell-o afterwards. I don't think I could've done any sorts of housekeeping work even if I wanted to. It was nice catching up on some shows I was watching before I went tunnel vision on market prep. Cruel Summer season 2 on Hulu was amazing. I hope they continue the series. Love me a good drama thriller. Then, I took the next two days only to source new thrifted stock and finally get my studio spaces back in order. It wasn't until that Friday I got back to work. On top of that, I had a night market that Friday and then a day market on Saturday.
Sometimes I feel so guilty for taking the time to myself to recoup because I know other things need to get done. So, I must remind myself that it's okay and actually a bit mandatory to take time for me every now and again. Everything will still be there when I'm fully relaxed. I'll probably tackle it all a lot easier if I'm fully rested and relaxed. One thing I know I want to do differently next year is curate my summer schedule and make firm boundaries with myself to avoid the burnout I experienced this past week.
Acknowledgement
I find it very important to note that a year ago I told myself I would start to vend at the big and/or juried art festivals AND I followed through with it! I have such a hyperactive brain that sometimes the influx of ideas I have make it difficult to follow through with all of them. This one was one I knew I didn't want to lose sight of and I'm so proud of myself that I did it. I have some other big things I did this year but I don't want to jinx anything yet before it actually happens so we are going to hold off on those.
I can't tell you guys how grateful I am for all of the love and support everyone has shown me over the years. I've had so many moments in the early years when I felt like my creations weren't good enough or I wasn't creative enough but time and time again, you all came out and showered me with love. You all instilled this light of hope inside me that if I just kept going, I'd get to where I personally wanted to be. Five years ago was when I had the dream of living the life I do today. Creating the art that I do today. Most importantly, forming the connections that I have today. Five years ago, I was a lost 18 year old trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and knew I loved art and loved figuring out the why of things; especially people. Now, I actually have a plan on how to get through the next five years. It'll be interesting to see where I am in 5 years from now and think back on this post.