We all experience seasons of the doldrums from time to time. My husband suspects I get them seasonally each winter, as he says I come alive with the sun each spring. What's interesting about them is that you frequently don't recognize that you're in them until something alerts you to it and that somehow makes them worse. I don't typically notice I have winter blues until the sun returns each spring and I get to step into the sun.
I love Samuel Taylor Coleridge's description of the doldrums on the seas in his poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:”
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.
The sailors adapted the name doldrums, that describes a period of low spirits and lack of energy to describe the zone near the equator with little wind that can leave a sailing vessel stuck for days leaving many sailors feeling dull and depressed.
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” -Arthur Conan Doyle
I wanted to talk about how doldrums can sneak up on us in our businesses. I was talking with a friend the other day and she said she is so tired of doing tasks every day and feeling like she's not making any progress, that none of what she's doing would matter if she stopped.
We talked through the specifics of what she was working on and her plan seemed solid. The side note here is that sometimes what you're working on really might be just spinning your wheels. But if it's not, then you're likely just feeling stuck and might need some sun. Not the literal kind, but the metaphorical kind. But the literal kind can help too.
Any business owner can tell you that there is work that you won't like. Work that is very tedious. Work that feels like a slog. Until you get to the point where you can hire it out, there will be things you have to do that you don't enjoy. This is true even if you work for someone else. In these moments, it's really helpful to remember why you started your business.
I think I've told you that I created a wallpaper for my computer of images that represent where I'm headed. It has homestead properties and porches overlooking nature. I also recently made a short video with imagery & music that represents my future that I can watch real quick anytime I need a pick me up. In the moments when you're questioning if you're ever going to make it to the other side, remind yourself of your why. It really does help.
We all get the doldrums. What matters is what you do next. Will you let them drain your energy and slow your progress? Or will you step up and work harder and keep pushing through so that you'll actually reach your goals? That's the difference between people that find success and people that don't.
Another quick tip is to find your cheerleaders. Those that know how capable you are and love what you're working towards & can lift you up just when you need it. Life is easier with good people around you. Just remember to reciprocate so they get lifted from time to time as well.
I made this mug for me. Because I needed the reminder when things felt hard or were taking too long. The mug turned into a best seller, because it resonated with so many people. But the things I'm the most proud of were the things that took effort & determination. They took time to perfect. Things worth doing will be that way sometimes. Just trust the process and trust yourself.
You've got this.
Warmest regards,
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