How are you doing? No, really, how are you? Scanning social media lately, I see similar messages: clients are disappearing, budgets are shrinking, ghosting has become normalized, big companies are reducing their workforce, and burnout is the new badge of honor for independent creators. It’s tough out there. And in today’s episode, I will dive right into this topic for those of us who have been business owners and independent creators for years and decades. It can be hard to know what to do. I am struggling to know myself, but hopefully, there will be something I share in this episode that helps you face the road ahead.

1. Stabilize yourself before attempting to address any business shortcomings.
   
   
2. Once you stabilize yourself, reconnect to your friends and colleagues, and reinforce the community around you.
   
   
3. If you aren’t sure what you’re going to do, it’s time to examine your work. The longer you’re in business, the more accustom you become to creating work that you think clients will want.
   
   
4. Take less action, spend more time resting. Refill your curiosity, dreams, and imagination tanks. Hope is built upon a dream, not crushing reality.
   
   
5. More will be revealed.
   
   
6. Now is not the time to return to where you’ve been. Instead, it’s about heading to where you want to be.
   
   
7. Say thank you to the voices who want to help and care, even when they don’t understand what you’re trying to do.
   

• How much YOU is in YOUR work?
  
  
• Midjourney prompt for episode art: the long road ahead, storm chasers, cinematic lighting –ar 16:9