Combat the negative mental monster
What projects have you tackled during the upside down world?
The biggest project to tackle that I’ve discovered is avoiding the negative mental monster.
While work has been an interesting exercise in bursts and stagnation the past couple months, it’s left me with a lot of extra time on my hands.
I get restless when I have idle time.
Okay, I’ll be honest - I go batshit crazy with too much idle time. The negative mental monster takes the wheel and the spin outs are plentiful and consistent and last for far too long.
We all know that feeling too well - especially now.
As a result, when the calendar is open, I’m always looking to self-commission a project into which I can sink my teeth. Over the past couple days, I discovered just such a project - one that wasn’t even on my radar.
And that’s working on my website.
I mean, yeah, I tinker here and there all the time, and create new pages for offers as they come up.
But, when it comes to restructuring the architecture of the way in which I share my services, that kinda heavy lifting I generally avoid because, well, it’s a monumental pain in the ass.
And then, you have conversations with smarter, successful colleagues who whisper possibilities in your ear and that friction point melts away and it’s time to get to work.
That’s exactly what happened a couple days ago.
On a call that had nothing to do with my website, we ended up there - and didn’t leave that conversation for 2 hours.
Note after note. Insight after insight.
The next thing I knew, I spent the next few days marinating and writing.
Writing and marinating.
And, after that push pull process - and a handful of headaches from staring at a screen too damn long later, we’ve officially unearthed a new site that is more aligned with who I am, who I serve, how I serve and why I do what I do.
And I got to add more pretty pictures, so that’s always fun, :)
We’re living in a crazy time and no one knows when we’re going to pick back up where we left off - if ever.
We have every opportunity to let our minds swing in wild directions that adversely affect your mood, productivity levels and general attitude towards life.
That’s why it’s important to anchor your attention onto matters that will serve you now and in the future.
Work. Family. Friends. Self-care.
On the other side of this project, I now feel way more grounded and present. This sentiment has less to do with the actual work itself, and more about the process of tackling a challenging task and accomplishing a goal.
And quieting the negative mental monster in the process.
Is this website done forever? Of course not - it will inevitably change many times over moving forward.
But for now, leveraging my time in a way to update my online home base to a place that aptly represents where I am with my business and how I serve my people today was time worth spent on many levels.
If you find your attention gravitating too much into “the world is on fire and we’re all screwed” narrative, pick a challenging project that will occupy your mind.
Which one is best with which to start? Ask yourself these questions:
What marketing, other business-related, or personal projects have you kept on the back burner?
If by completing this project, will it help get you business?
If by completing this project, will it help contribute a dose of positivity into your day?
Weigh the pros and cons of diving in for each, and take a stab at one that pops out the most.
What’s the worst that can happen?
It’s better than staring at your phone reading about all the crazy shit going on that you cannot control.
Take back what you can control by being actionable in your business and life, and that’ll help you balance your emotions when thinking about the uncertainty ahead.
Oh shit - I almost forgot - check out my updated site and let me know what you think!
PS - If you found this article valuable, I invite you to join my email list so that you save yourself from commuting to my blog every time I post something new, :)