This past Friday, I wanted to share a bit about anxiety and depression as an entrepreneur.
Stats will show that entrepreneurs face higher rates of mental challenges, you may have had this experience yourself.
The truth is, being an entrepreneur can be hard because we deal with so much uncertainty.
Sometimes that can push us to the brink, and without some solid systems in place it can become too much to bear. The Mindfulness below is a solid start, and the video above delves even deeper into the conversation.
Monday Mindfulness
- Get someone on 911 – It can be a friend or family member. Someone who will take your call and help see you through the immediate challenges. We’ve all experienced the end of the world scenarios only to find that they too will pass.
- Consider the cathartic route by harnessing your creativity. You can write a blog post, or even create a video of where you are and what you are experiencing. Even if you don’t have solutions, these types of creative works are often invaluable and can be shared once you are out of the hot seat.
What are your thoughts? How do you move through anxious or depressive phases? Please help others and share in the comments below.
I love the idea, Jason! Will definitely try it out.
Putting it out there, even if you don’t share it, is a great way of dealing with the inner struggle. And it can lead to a great piece of content for later on.
Also, I agree that putting it out there in the raw form isn’t best, I’ve listened to a fellow entrepreneur doing just that and I guess I was expecting a happy end or something that would give me hope, and it felt weird that it didn’t.
We all go through taugh times and when we consume content, we’d like to see that there’s a light at the end of the dark tunnel.
What I’ve found works for me when I’m down is doing something very different from what I’m doing when I feel down (get my body moving), EFT also helps when I want to explore my emotions and deal with them, music can get me through quicker and of course, gratitude has always been the fundamental answer. 🙂
Thank you Jason for being so honest and inspiring!
Georgian
I hear you Georgian and that is why you are the perfect person to bring the gratitude podcast. It’s about hope and without hope we are all lost.
Very good points. I would add that deliberate self-expression, especially in the presence of an accepting community, can do wonders. We all know “bottle-ing up” your emotions can allow them to fester and come forward at inopportune times. Sharing with others who accept us and don’t judge, can lead to amazing healing.
Agreed Tony. Something about being seen and witnessed in an accepting space allows for healing to occur. I’m hopeful for those that live in the Portland area will check out your upcoming workshop.
Love this! Excellent way to share your thoughts on a difficult topic!
Thanks Lars. So common and so unspoken in certain realms.
Hi, I’m an entrepreneur in part to give myself the space and the structure/space to deal with the depression and anxiety that have been with me all my life. I so nearly went the way of the guys you mention, but I had those 911 people, and added to them, and found ways to get through the pain.
One of my brothers committed suicide in June, and yes, he was a solo entrepreneur. I so wish he had reached out to his friends and family, who loved him so much, before he took that action.
Your suggestions are spot on. I would also add some sort of spiritual practice, it is a part of what helped through 3 years of deep depression and pain. I am out of it now, and so I made it through. I am slowly restructuring my business to fit who I have become and figuring out how to offer what I want to give to the world.
One thing I have learned over the years, Jason, is that when we do share some of the pain and messiness inside, it gives others permission to have their own feelings and sometimes to share them, maybe even for the first time. They no longer feel alone. Maybe they even feel validated or seen. This kind of sharing may not be appropriate for every kind of business, but as heart-centered entrepreneurs, I think it can be a way to support and get support from our communities, which usually include some of our clients and customers.
Iris,
I so appreciate you sharing and my thoughts are with your family and you with the loss of your brother.
I agree completely. Being messy and having a spiritual practice allow us to be seen and witnessed which reminds us we are all made of the same cloth and often struggle with the exact same thoughts.
Here’s to taking the path Together.
Jason