Frustration

I had a few things happen this past week that left me feeling at a bit of a stand still. As I began reflecting on all of it, I thought about the beginning of this indie business venture of mine. Starting out it seemed easy. There were no overly complicated things to think about. As my business continued to grow, each level became much more difficult until I reached the point where I am now.

The amount of work that I put into my shop has increased immensely, yet there are times when I feel as though there is little progress forward, or sometimes even days when I feel as though I am taking several steps back. The worst part about this frustration is that it is draining me of creative energy. I sit down with the intention of creating, only to sit and stare at an empty Illustrator artboard or a blank card and stacks of paper. I'm stuck in a negative cycle.

In one of my most recent fits of frustration, a blog friend Patti shared a great article that got my mind back on track. It reminded me of what my priorities need to be. So I decided to consciously think about the positives. I decided to get back into my yoga routine that I lost a few months ago. I decided to take time off from the things that were adding to my frustration. I decided to stop comparing myself to others and to not be so hard on myself. And mostly, I decided to step away from things if it becomes too frustrating, and come back to it a different day or a different time.

Day one into my new positive cycle and I'm feeling a lot better. I'm realizing that I control how I feel rather than letting it up to circumstances. Some of the circumstances are not up to my control in any way, but it is up to me how I react. Aside from these changes I'm trying to make, I decided to let it all out realizing that I'm not always alone in this department. Do you ever feel stuck in a rut of frustration? What are the methods you have used to cope with your own frustrations?