Have you had this thought? “I’m so overwhelmed. Maybe it would be better just to walk away from this work entirely.”
If you have, you’re not alone. So many of us find ourselves in this position: overworked, overbooked, and with no end in sight. And we don’t know how to get ourselves out without giving up completely.
So in this episode, I’m sharing my own personal story of finding myself in this tough spot, what I did to climb out of the hole I’d dug for myself, and the steps I’m taking to avoid this in the future. Just because we need rest, it doesn’t mean that we’re a failure… and taking a break doesn’t mean that we have to be done forever.
What’s in this episode:
- [00:35] That moment when we just want to quit and walk away and the gentle truth we need to hear about these moments
- [01:39] A personal story about reaching my own breaking point
- [03:35] What happened when I pressed pause on parts of my business
- [05:00] How to tell if it’s time to rest or actually move on from certain parts of your business and steps you can take to find clarity
- [08:35] Some personal news about my business (and this podcast!)
Tune in to this episode for advice on how to give ourselves time to rest instead of giving up!
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Did this episode give you encouragement to take those breaks that we need to keep going? Check out this episode Ebb and Flow: The Myth of Finding Balance as a Mother and Business Owner with Aspen Dawn that shares how another photographer started their career!
Transcript
[00:00:00] Hey, friend. Welcome to the Art and Soul Show. I’m your host, Lisa DiGeso, a mom, a photographer and entrepreneur. Tune in here for Pep Talks, conversations and advice on photography, creativity, mindset, business, life, and that messy in between. This is the place where you can go when you need a boost of encouragement, a kick in the pants, and inspiration to pick up your camera.
[00:00:24] This is the Art and Soul show. Hello my friend. Welcome back to the show. So today we’re gonna be talking about something close to my heart, and this is learning to rest, not Quit. So, have you ever found yourself just in that place where your passion, maybe your creativity, maybe your whole business just doesn’t feel joyful anymore?
[00:00:51] When tasks that once lit you up now feel just heavy and exhausting. If that’s you, friend, I see [00:01:00] you because I have absolutely been there more times than I’d like to admit. There’s something important I learned about these moments. When you’re tired and more overwhelmed, our first reaction is often to think maybe it’s just time to quit.
[00:01:15] Maybe we picked the wrong path or career. Maybe we just don’t have what it takes. Maybe our work just isn’t good enough and we just really start to get down on ourselves. But here’s a gentle truth. I want you to carry away from today’s episode. Most of the time, you don’t need to quit. What you really need is just some rest, and I have learned this the hard way.
[00:01:39] A few years ago, I really reached that breaking point. I was juggling too many client sessions. I was managing my business, teaching and podcasting and parenting, and being a wife and a mom and a friend, just basically trying to do everything. And I woke up every day just feeling exhausted and [00:02:00] drained. My health was suffering and I just began to really dread the very things I used to love, and I really started to question whether I was cut out for any of it.
[00:02:11] And I remember vividly sitting in my car after a particularly overwhelming week in tears saying out loud, maybe it is just time to quit. It felt heartbreaking because deep down I knew I loved my work. I love my clients. I love being creative and especially connecting with people through photography and through teaching.
[00:02:35] But at that moment, I was so overwhelmed and it so exhausted that quitting seemed like the only way out of how I was feeling. But instead of making an impulse decision, I did something different. I just chose to press pause. So I started to peel away the layers of where my overwhelm was coming from. And for that time, I really needed to completely step away [00:03:00] from client work and from just social media, especially for my photography business.
[00:03:04] And even at that point in time, if you’ve been with me listening to this show for that period, I, you may know that I had a website hack and I just kind of let it all go, and I just let go of all the demands I just put on myself. And truly, it was not easy. As an entrepreneur and as a creative rest can really feel almost uncomfortable, like we are falling behind and we start worrying about people around us and we start worrying about missing opportunities.
[00:03:35] But during that time, while I decided to intentionally press pause and rest, something really powerful happened. I started to feel like myself again. My clarity started to return. And my creativity really slowly began flowing back. It started for me with doing my personal projects, and I realized I actually didn’t wanna quit at all.
[00:03:59] I was [00:04:00] simply just extraordinarily burned out my mind and my body and my soul, they just desperately needed a break. I really just started with some personal projects to just work on getting my creativity back. Now our culture really has conditioned us to believe. That rest is a luxury or a reward, and it’s something we earn only after pushing ourselves to the absolute edge.
[00:04:26] But rest is not a reward. It is something necessary that we need to be building into our business. It’s foundational to create something that is sustainable and something that is joyful, not only just in business, but in your life. So if you are experiencing exhaustion right now and maybe feeling tempted to just throw in the towel, I want you just to pause and consider that maybe quitting isn’t quite what you truly need.
[00:04:54] Maybe you’re just desperately craving time off and rest. So how do you [00:05:00] tell the difference between genuinely needing to move on and just genuinely needing a break? So if you’re feeling constantly tired mentally, emotionally, physically. Even after sleeping, that’s a big clue. If tasks that maybe once brought you joy, now fill you with dread.
[00:05:20] If your creativity feels completely blocked or if you’re just easily irritated and clients are just driving you bonkers and you’re just overwhelmed by small things, these are really big signals your body and your mind sending you, telling you you clearly need some rest. Let’s also get practical. So how do you rest when you’re juggling a million things?
[00:05:43] And we don’t all have the luxury of just being able to take time off first. You have to make rest a part of your life, an intentional and non-negotiable. Literally put it into your calendar as you would with like an important meeting or even a session or a client [00:06:00] appointment because if you do not schedule it, it’s not gonna happen.
[00:06:03] Give yourself permission, real tangible, permission to pause without guilt. Second, get offline just for a bit. I can’t emphasize how restorative, even a short social media break detox can be. Social media, while sometimes is social, it can feel a lot like comparison, and it can really build up that burnout and that pressure to keep up.
[00:06:31] Showing up and showing up. These with appearing online, stepping away just gives you that room to breathe and reconnect to yourself. And maybe it’s just deleting the apps for a while. That’s okay. Thirdly, change your scenery, get outside. Go be in nature. I always have to remind myself, because my first inclination is not to be outside.
[00:06:52] In fact, I actually have a shirt that says Indoorsy because I love being indoors so much. I [00:07:00] can’t deny that being outside in nature is incredibly healing. Go for a walk in the park. Go spend some time by the water, by the lake or beach, or just simply sit on your patio outdoors even for 20 minutes. Just getting that fresh air can really refresh your entire mindset.
[00:07:18] Next is reconnecting with some hobbies or passions, just purely for joy, not to monetize them or achieve anything. Bake something delicious. Literally, I have been loving getting into my journey with sourdough. I’ve been reading more books that I have lined on my shelves. I have a series, a cord of thorns and roses that I need to start or even painting.
[00:07:44] I’ve been playing with painting a little bit too, just because it feels good. So do something that has no outcome or goal other than pure enjoyment for yourself. It is honestly medicine for your creative heart. And finally say no more [00:08:00] often. One of the hardest lessons, especially for entrepreneurs, is really setting boundaries.
[00:08:06] Saying no to things that drain you or don’t align with your energy right now isn’t selfish. It’s essential self-care. And I want to pause here and offer you a reflection question. You can either journal about or just think about later on today. Where in your life are you feeling tempted to quit? Could it be simply you need a rest instead and really take your time and listen to your heart, and it’s okay if the answer surprises you.
[00:08:35] Now, I do have some personal news to share with you, my friend. The reason I’m sharing this episode, especially right now, is because I’m choosing to practice what I preach. I’ve decided to press pause on this podcast for the summer and take time truly to rest and recharge with my family. Now, this was not an easy choice.
[00:08:56] Trust me, every episode, every conversation with [00:09:00] you fills my heart, but I’ve also realized that rest is exactly what my own heart is craving in this season of life. My son is growing up so quickly. These summers are fleeting. If I don’t intentionally pause to enjoy these moments, they’re going to slip by.
[00:09:19] And friends. I never wanna look back with regret on the times I missed being a mom because I was too busy working. So I am stepping away, not quitting, but intentionally resetting and resting. I will be back refreshed and inspired and ready to dive into even deeper conversations with you when we return for our next season.
[00:09:39] So during this time away, I’d love for us to stay connected. You’ll still see me popping up occasionally on social media unless you’re taking a break. I’ll be sharing some snippets from our adventures, or if you’re on our enu use list, you’ll be hearing from me every week, and I’d love to hear back from you how your practicing rest in your own life.
[00:09:58] Let’s encourage each other [00:10:00] to prioritize joy and restoration. So thank you so much my friend, for being here, for sharing your time and your ears and your hearts with me every single episode. Rest is how we sustain our passions and how we keep ourselves and our creativity alive. So this summer, join me in an intentionally choosing rest over quitting.
[00:10:22] Let’s recharge and reconnect. Remember why we started on this path in the first place. I cannot wait to see what incredible things unfold for you when you honor your need for rest too. I am sending you so much of my light and my love today and every single day, and we will see you next time. Bye.
