photo credit: University of Denver via flickr
Let me set the scene...
You are working that 9 to 5 and reasonably enjoy it but believe that there is something else that you should be doing, to use your gifts. You are multi-talented, and while one side of you is fulfilled at the job, the other side of you feels neglected…dormant.
The truth is, you have all of these ideas. You hold onto these untapped dreams. And then finally…
The light bulb goes off and BAM!
You know exactly what you want to do. With every ounce of your being, you commit yourself to just do it. You finagled the complicated but workable life of keeping a full-time job while pursuing other personal dreams. You even scrounged up the financial resources to start putting those dreams into action. Things are going….until you reach That Hump.
*quick interlude while I listen to one of my fave songs by Miss Erykah Badu*
You know the hump.
That moment when you start to doubt yourself. Regret your decisions. Fear the outcome.
Here are five quick ways to relieve the stress caused by the inevitable hump and how to get over it:
Visualize your success.
Give yourself the credit that you deserve. Obviously you took on this great task because, at some point, you believed in yourself. At some point in a more-grounded, less-emotional mind state, you thought that you could do this.
You still can.
Real visionaries are forward-looking people. It’s so easy to get caught in the daily grind of life that we can forget to look ahead.
Plan for the future.
Visualize the successful YOU.
Visualize the YOU that did it. How does it feel?
Trade complaints for prayer.
Our natural human tendency is to complain in the face of a challenge or temporary defeat. Do yourself a favor, and resist it. Complaining creates a debilitating condition that paralyzes you, while restricting your ability to see beyond the present. In fact, complaining creates stress. Think about it. When you complain, do you feel better or worse afterwards?
Exactly, the proof is in the pudding.
Next time you have the urge to complain, flip the script and say it in the form of a prayer. The act of prayer leads to a more peaceful mind state.
Create your personal rewards program.
Often, when working on long-term goals, we focus on long-term results and long-term rewards. We all know that you cannot get from A to Z without taking critical steps in between. The journey is just as important as the outcome.
So why don’t we reward ourselves for the short-term steps?
You don’t have to wait until your new office is officially opened, or the first corporate client is secured to reward yourself for “in the meantime.” Take some time and map out personal rewards to accompany each of your short term goals.
Be creative.
Flip your negative thoughts into positive ones.
I have mentioned before that I keep a gratitude journal. It’s a perfect outlet for positive happenings in my life. Again, a natural tendency is to focus on “what else,” or “what’s left,” or “what’s wrong”. Combat each of these thoughts with a positive one.
Minimize the clutter.
Our environments tend to directly reflect on our emotional state and psyche. Take 10 minutes of your day and just clear a space. Toss, give away, put away…whatever you need to do. It will make you feel so much better.
How do you get over the hump? I want to know.