Feel like a Fraud?
No matter what stage your creative business is in — emerging to established to thriving — you may periodically experience feelings of anxiety. Maybe you have anxiety about not measuring up. Maybe you have anxieties about the unpredictability of finding the next gig. Maybe you even won a new gig, but you anticipate it will stretch you professionally outside your comfort zone and it’s causing you some unease.
Anxieties are often triggered by stress and pressure we place upon ourselves. We want control over everything to feel safe but that’s not always possible. We aspire to be perfect but that’s quite a high bar to achieve. We want professional recognition but we don’t want to stumble as we learn and face embarrassment or shame.
So what happens to you when you feel anxious or uncertain? Do you engage in positive or negative thinking about yourself? A negative attitude might spur you to consider yourself a fraud and ignore your hard-earned professionalism. Especially, if you attribute winning past design or illustration projects to luck or being in the right place at the right time. You might not acknowledge you were selected based upon your reputation and the skills and expertise you invested in developing your independent career. The next time you feel the impostor syndrome rising up, consider how you can cope and embrace positive thinking.
Develop Resilience
We’re frequently reminded that plans don’t always turn out as expected. A software program crashes. A deadline gets pushed. A client is late with a payment. Unexpected happenings cause us stress.
What can be done to manage stress? Develop your resilience to see you through difficult challenges. First, trust in your ability to adapt to the situation. Your creativity and ability to improvise will help you figure out a workaround. It’s also helpful to put the stress into perspective and let go of what you can’t change or control. The more comfortable you become with your ability to adapt and get past an upset, the sooner you’ll be able to focus and move on.
Nobody’s Perfect
Trying to achieve perfection can be paralyzing. When you evaluate your own work are you a kind or harsh critic? And what criteria are you using to judge yourself and your portfolio of work? Do you set criteria that is appropriately aligned to the developmental stage you are in in your creative career? For example, if you’re an emerging designer you can be inspired by more senior designers, but it would be harsh to compare your early work to their standout work. Continue to strive to do your best work and curate your portfolio as your projects become better and your expertise deepens.
Further, consider your mindset as you evaluate your body of work. Do you have a positive or negative outlook? Are you looking for strengths to build upon or are you setting impossible standards for yourself to achieve perfection? It’s important to allow yourself time and space to experience growing pains as you make incremental achievements to grow your skills and expertise.
Rituals for Self Care
When you strive to meet business demands you may find yourself cutting corners to maintain your health. How well do you invest in self care. What type of rituals do you have to keep yourself healthy? For example:
- Do you have routines that allow you to get enough sleep? Or do you make up for the lack of it with strong coffee?
- How often do you skip meals?
- Do you rely upon an exercise routine to feel good and improve your mood or outlook?
Take some time to envision your ideal for a healthful routine to feel your best at work and play.
Take Time to Unwind
As a solopreneur you might find yourself and your time easily overextended. Looming deadlines and juggling projects can be taxing. As you look at managing your own schedule it’s a good idea to build in some personal and restorative time for yourself.
What helps you relax? Perhaps you enjoy reading for pleasure or watching a TV series on Netflix. Maybe it’s making a cup of tea or meditating in quiet room. Maybe it’s a run or taking a walk with your dog. Or perhaps you prefer to unwind with play time. Or use your time to create and work on personal, creative projects. Activities like these send a signal to mind and body to slow down and enjoy your life. Set aside time to unwind because you’ve earned it.