Bear with me.
I’ve ended my day with a few Espresso Martini-zzz cause this week has been a rollercoaster. There has been some epic wins and some epic losses.
Like I always say…
There is balance in all things.
Now you’ll know I am the one person who will honestly say that they are far from having their shit together.
In actual fact. My shit is far from being together.
(I can’t think of a witty metaphor or analogy right now but whatever. You get the point)
But just to remind you… I’m not your favourite guru who pretends that everything is perfect 100% of the time.
And as always. I choose progress over perfection.
Now I had a short call with an ex client and friend and they wanted to know how I dealt with burnout.
Now there is no magic fix. Or pill, potion or some weird hack that’ll remove it but there are some steps you can follow.
Here’s a little context.
From 2005 to 2010 (When I found myself back in the UK)
I was a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. Well before social media kicked off and well before I knew better. I made my art my whole personality…
Now don’t get me wrong. If you’re learning something new. You’re gonna have to make some sacrifices to get good and in my cases. Going balls deep was the way it had to be done.
Sadly what people don’t tell you, is that there is this thing called burnout which will come for you. Just like DEATH.
Burnout will find you and he will fuck with you in such a spectacular fashion, that he lies to you and makes you believe it’s all your fault.
It’s not though.
We’ve been pre-programmed to give to others and not look after ourselves. You put your family and friends first and well…
You? Meh. I’ll get there eventually.
(Which is the worst thing you can do)
and so when you get close lined by burnout because you ignored the warning signs. The recovery process can takes days, weeks, months or even years and even in some cases decades OR never.
We don’t want that at all.
So how can we stop this little shit from ruining our lives?
It starts with you and you alone.
You need to CHOOSE yourself.
You need to be selfish. You need to say no to everyone and everything else.
You need to step back and do the things that set your soul on fire.
If that means staying up till 4am binge watching the worst shit ever while eating a tub of ice cream for 3 weeks straight. Well then yeah. Do that.
It means saying no to family and friends when they want to suck the energy right out of you.
You don’t have to go out. You don’t have to meet friends for a meal.
The only thing you need to do is pick you.
You need to go back and do the things that weren’t tied to anyone else, your income or any other expectations that society holds you down to.
The all work and no play is true. It’s doubly true for when you neglect who you are as a person.
If you want to finger paint a wall. Do it.
If you want to dance naked in a forest while it’s pissing down with rain. Then do it.
We’ve been boxed in too much and told how to dance and who to serve and that shit needs to stop.
We’re about love and art and all the things that make use uniquely human.
We need to go back and play.
And has my home boy Piccaso once said:
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
Stephen Walker