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Dear Reader,Â
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Have you ever had a week where it felt like everything you did sucked? A crisis of confidence for seemingly no reason? Where
you only noticed the things you did wrong or not as well as you could have?Â
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I'm having that week right now. Nothing brought it on--no bad reviews, forgotten birthdays, or even harsh editing notes. Maybe a little difficulty sleeping?
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It's weird. It's like I can't even make a cup of tea right (Internal voice: why did you add so much milk? You know that's not how its done. Look at what you've wasted! Rational mind: Chill, it's a tea bag, a splash of milk, and water.)Â
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It's not entirely unusual either. I've had periods like this since I was a teenager, and I doubt I'm
alone. So I thought I'd share how I get through the YOU SUCK! times.
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- Be kind to yourself! Remind yourself that if you wouldn't say it to a stranger, you probably shouldn't say it to yourself. (Seriously, say the mean thoughts out loud or write them down and ask yourself if you'd ever talk like that to anyone you cared about.)
- Go back to old comforts. This is normally where I break out the comfy clothes
and curl up on the couch to re-read Pride & Prejudice for the 1000th time. (This time around I'm re-watching The Gilded Age, it's a new favorite and I find it just delightful.)
- Get out of your head when you can. Listen to music, go for a drive, go out for coffee with a friend. (Despite being deep in the I don't deserve nice things feelings, I went to grab a London Fog with my friend Ms Melinda this morning. Smiling and laughing are proven mood lifters and my mood did indeed
lift.)
- Try to stay busy. It gives the feeling less time to suck you in and nothing compounds the feeling of sucking like failing at basic tasks. (Like, say, writing a weekly newsletter...)
- Remember this feeling of suckiness will pass. (I try not to fight the feeling or dwell in it. Just nod at it like an acquaintance on the street and move on.)
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And now I'm off to take my own advice, make another cup of tea, and get back to the edits!Â
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(And the next time you have an I suck moment or if you're having it right now, know you're not alone!)
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