During seasons of grief as an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to find the space, daily self care routines, and time to process through your emotions. But I want to remind you: ​seasons don’t last forever.
I know I’m not the only business owner who has had to maintain a certain level of professionalism with clients through the midst of absolute heartache.
Whether you’re feeling the loss of a dear loved one, a friend, a furry family member, or even an opportunity in your life, remember you’re not alone.
Today I want to encourage you with four self care tips I’ve learned to love myself and navigate through the good, bad, and ugly of owning a business during a hard season.
GIVE YOURSELF GRACE
Some days it seems unfair that the world keeps turning and life continues forward. Other days are plain ugly and end with you sitting on your shower floor feeling less vibrant than you once were. Days can be full of tears during normal everyday occurrences that somehow don’t feel as sweet as they once did.
Seasons of grief feel like this odd mix of hopelessness and despair all while you know one day things will get better.
But here’s the thing to remember: ​running a business in the midst of grief involves a lot of grace, mostly for yourself.
You may cry ugly tears while answering emails like I’ve done. You may sit and stare blankly at your inbox before finally snapping out of it. Or you may eat a lot of pizza from your favorite lunch place every single day of the week.
It’s okay. Give yourself grace.
GRIEF IS NOT LINEAR
The thing about grief is there’s no right way to do it.
Everybody processes differently. There’s no standard timeframe for healing. No set order of emotions you must walk through and there’s absolutely no handbook for how to get through it.
Grief is one of those things that’s so ugly it literally knocks you off your feet.
Give yourself the grace to feel it all. ​Allow yourself to get back up at your own pace
and process this season in a way that works for you.
For me, that includes talking to a licensed therapist, journaling out my feelings, meditating as much as I can, exercising, or surrounding myself with nature to seek clarity.
Whatever that looks like for you, you will get through this in time and in your own way.
BE REALISTIC WITH YOUR ABILITIES
Know that this season of life will mean letting people down, and that’s just a fact.
During a season of grief, some deadlines won’t be met, some appointments will have to be rescheduled, and some projects just won’t happen. You must choose how to best approach your list of priorities and allow the less important items to take the back burner.
Do not let the guilt of not being able to meet every expectation—professional or personal—add to the barrage of emotions you’re currently feeling.
This is a season where the best way to serve your clients and loved ones best is by first taking care of yourself.
You deserve to be your best self even during hard seasons.
INCORPORATE INTENTIONAL SELF CARE & TAKE A BREAK
Running a business in the thick of loss looks like leaning on those you love everyday and taking a break from things that don’t fill you up.
Maybe this is a season to take a step back from social media or to find comfort in sharing your experiences with others.
It means understanding self care, going slow, not taking on more than you can handle, and [drinking plenty of water]!
Find new reasons to smile and be happy, because life won’t always be this hard. Allow yourself to take a guilt-free break, because in the long run that break will do more healing than any work will.
FREE YOURSELF FROM ANY STIGMAS
Friend, grief is hard. It’s ugly and it’s not very popular to talk about. But it’s real.
It’s a sad part of life that every single one of us has to face. There should be no stigma attached to fully experiencing your life—even the hard parts of it.
So as you walk through this journey of healing and self care, free yourself from any stigma that tells you that your grief recovery should look a certain way.
You get to experience this on your own terms and in your own way.
So let’s grab hands and walk through this together, friend. Because I know together, we can get through anything.
Want to learn more about how to incorporate self care routines into your daily life and thrive in your business as a result? Get our Ultimate Guide to Self Care here.
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