Happy Saturday Everyone!
If you are snowed in…I hope you are feeling OK. I just wanted to check in with everyone.
Some developments in my own personal life and then reading more details of the passing of Chelsie and a few others in entertainment that have had untimely deaths have really saddened me. It has been a long time since the deaths of people I didn’t know personally have affected me. It just made me, even more, realize that I want to have more fun. I have no interest in working all day long or even discussing work all day long. I have a different mentality when it comes to the concept of work these days. I totally believe in work/life balance. I set boundaries with people when it comes to ‘work’ talk. I’m not discussing work on a Friday night. I need a break! I just got through a long work week – the last thing I want to do is talk more ‘shop’. Friday night is for fun. I have one regular job and then I have my writing/building a brand job. My writing/building a brand job is complicated to explain because I don’t have set hours and I don’t always get paid despite the number of hours I put in.
People who have never built something from the ground up/never been an entrepreneur/never had an interest in owning anything don’t understand about the work hours. It’s exhausting! I love it, but it’s exhausting. I don’t have a team behind me. I’m not at a point where I have friends who can help. I literally do everything. I have events sometimes – and I do EVERYTHING! This is not a complaint. I enjoy it but it’s a lot of work. I have gone months with literally no day off in the past. In 2022, I told myself I was going to do things differently. I want to have a personal life now.
This is my advice: do the things that make you happy. Spend time with the people who put a smile on your face. I can’t preach that enough. Sometimes, we get caught up in toxic family land friends. You need to really remove yourself from people who don’t wish you well.
Please find other means to make money if you are at a job you HATE. Nothing is worth being miserable every single day. Every day is not going to go the way you want it to, but if you have a job that you go to every single day and HATE being there you need other options. There are virtual assistant jobs, dog walking jobs, house sitting jobs, work as a nanny, work cleaning offices, day trading, helping out friends, etc. There are jobs out there for those who need to get out of their situation right away or just need money right away.
Please look into other opportunities. Keep pushing. Network. Tell everybody you know that you are looking for a job. You never know who knows somebody that can help you. I know it can get hard out there. I would encourage you to go on job sites and apply for at least 5 jobs a day. Please do some footwork too. Sometimes, you have to really put yourself out there.
If there are certain places you think you may be interested in working just go to the company and see who you can chat with. Leave your resume with them. I wouldn’t do this for every place – do your research first. You would be surprised how many directors or managers are open to talking to people. Also, check the event calendars for some of these companies. That is the best time to both socialize and network. My calendar fills up quick because of events. Many times I don’t even go for business purposes. My friends and I will go for free food and to enjoy a new venue. Haha.
In 2022, I decided that I was going to limit my events. I went to so many events (excluding 2020 and the first half of 2021) in the past five years. In the beginning, it was all about networking because I was seeking certain jobs. Once I found a job, it became a way to continue to meet people and see what I could do about publishing books. It has been a great experience. Yet, I now have a better sense of what events I need to attend. I understand now that I don’t have to be EVERYWHERE! Haha. I don’t have to attend everything. It’s nice to feel a bit more security there. Now, I limit the number of events I attend each month.
Again, you never know who you can meet that can help you down the line. I know it’s hard out there. Trust me – I KNOW!
Take your time out there. Enjoy your YOU time. Enjoy time with a significant other if you have one/enjoy your time with friends/enjoy your time with family. I would even designate days for certain people if you can. For example, you can leave Sundays for family days. Maybe you spend your time with friends on Thursdays and Fridays. Be clear and consistent with that. Don’t do too much mixing because then that can take a toll on you too. We can love our families, but they can be too much sometimes. Haha.
Peace and Blessings! Happy February – Happy Valentine’s Day, National Heart Health Month, and Black History Month (US).
Mindful Impressions 