Here’s my latest article.
Slump? I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting. Yogi Berra.
What’s a slump anyway?
Slumps are like the common cold. They arrive without invitation and eventually, in their own timing, leave. And, most of us will experience one or more of them in our lifetime.
They come in all different packages. Writers have their own version of a slump and call it writer’s block. Athletes lose their groove, businesses and professionals have their off season slump and the stock market slumps due to the job or housing market. Then there’s the slump that follows a big achievement. You may have heard of the “post partum blues.” This usually refers to a woman feeling down after giving birth but this term can also be applied to giving birth to a business, a recording project or anything you work on and complete that has taken the majority of your time and focus.
Slumps can come at the beginning, middle or end of an endeavor and regardless, can have a major affect on your mood and energy. Common reactions to a slump can range from trying to overcome it by pressing on to getting depressed and wanting to sleep until it’s over. As a coach, I watch the most successful entrepreneurs doubt they ever really had what it took in the first place. They start wondering if it was just luck that brought them as far as they’ve come.
If you’re in a slump, it helps to step back and get a bit of perspective.
One of my favorite poets, David Whyte used this analogy, and I’m paraphrasing; when we can’t see the moon, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. It cycles from being full to waning. We know it will come around again. It’s just a matter of time.
Every cycle has its void. This is where the seeds to our creative process germinate before new information finds its way for a new upswing. What frustrates us is the not knowing how long the waning part of the cycle will take.
I remind my clients to consider a few things when they’re in a slump; a) even great swimmers tread water occasionally; b) since change is inevitable, this too will pass; and c) if the going is real easy, you may be headed down hill.
So how do we constructively get through a slump? Here are some steps to consider:
- Notice your breathing. Is it shallow? Is it hyper active? Taking deep, slow breaths helps to clear your mind and oxygenates your blood. It also gives you more energy;
- This may sound trite, but start appreciating some aspect of your life (if not all of it). This creates an open heart and attitude and helps you welcome your process gracefully;
- Do something that inspires you—something that ignites your creative juices; it helps.
- Talk about your slump to someone who will understand you’re in a process – not someone who will agree there is something wrong with you that needs fixing;
- Move your energy; it will change your mood. Go for a swim, walk on the beach or in the forest.
The worst thing you can do is isolate and brood.
There just might just be something to the sayings, “the quiet before the storm” or “you have to get empty before you can become full again.”
