Burn Out

The second half of this year was packed. My Get Messy workshop was filmed in June and went live in August. I took on a challenging and fun design project for a Baltimore nonprofit in September, and subsequently realized that I wasn’t going to be able to give the necessary time and attention to my fall newsletter. (I skipped it.) The next months, I attended an eight-week German course and sat for a language certificate test. All of this on top of a job, with an American election in between.

I am tired.

When the world is too much or I’ve been working for too hard for too long — or both — I intentionally slow everything down. Recently, I have been creating less often and posting on social media even less. I have been taking naps. And I’ve been feeling a strong pull to the local and the analog: walking in my neighborhood. Connecting with friends. Reading. Snuggling with cats. Cleaning my apartment.

Alone, I can’t solve big things like politics or climate change, but I can say no to too many things, create a great art journal page, and wash some dishes. I can focus on the things in my local sphere of influence. And these are also often the same things that keep us sane, healthy, and putting one foot in front of the other.

Hope you’re taking care of you.