I'm Not Lazy...Just Mentally Tapped Out! Being Creatively Drained Is So Real.

Raise of hands if the title resonated with you. I’m currently raising my hand as high as I can. I remember the reason why I created this blog; it was so I could write about topics that resonated with me, and share other people’s stories. I told myself that I would dedicate as much time as I could to ensure that my brand, The Neighborhood Homegirl, would reach its full potential. I would not let my 9-5 job consume me, and I would put my creative career first. Little did I know that around the same time I created my brand, I would be going through a very rough romantic and friendship breakup, my day job’s workload would increase and become super stressful, and my depression would hit hard. Sucks, right? 

If your algorithm on social media is like mine, you are constantly reminded to “post, post, post” and “be consistent.” I felt myself robotically posting video and written content between my social media pages and blog. I felt immediate burnout, and it was surely reflecting on my content. I didn’t and currently don’t want to post anything without substance or just to say I was being consistent. I want anything all of you read or watch of mine to resonate with you, make you laugh or smile, or brighten up your day. But, how could I do that when I wasn’t feeling like myself?

Being creatively drained is very common. There can be moments when you have many ideas and are feeling good mentally. Whereas there are moments where you are creatively absent and your personal life is stressing you out. It can also become extremely discouraging especially because in most cases, you don’t see the fruits of your labor immediately. Personally, I have had moments where I felt like I wasn’t doing enough or doing “it” right. And by “it,” I mean this whole creative thing. There are many factors that can contribute to feeling this way. For me, it was people flaking on me when it came down to me interviewing them for my website or them being a guest on my podcast, not getting enough views after spending so much time writing an article or editing a video, and many other factors. I was fed up with investing in myself, both financially and time wise, and not seeing the results. Not to mention, simultaneously, many of us are working our butts off at our 9-5 jobs, when all we want to do is create. But in order to create, we need our 9-5’s because that is the only way we can fund it. So many creatives are depressed because they’re not making a living doing what they love. They’re working 9-5 jobs when their heart is crying out for them to create. Ahhh!

This is where being mentally tapped out comes in. If it’s not from our personal lives, mental health issues, or just completely creatively exhausted, many of us are just…tired. And what’s insane is the fact that many creatives are responsible for helping their supporters and fans heal from so many occurrences in their life. I remember going through a very bad breakup a few years back and it wasn’t a therapist or someone in the medical field that got me out of my deep depression. It was a content creator on YouTube. 

Side Bar: I am in no way, shape, or form discrediting anyone in the medical field or telling you to not seek help if you need it; I am simply sharing my experience and what worked for me during a time I could not see a therapist or hadn’t found one that I connected with. Please seek help if needed. 

If you are someone who is feeling high-functioning burnout, just know that you are not alone. Also know that it is totally okay to take breaks. The whole hustle culture idea where burnout is normalized and getting rest or taking a vacation is deemed being lazy or unproductive is not justified. In fact, in MY opinion, it’s ridiculous. So you mean to tell me that I have to mentally, emotionally, and physically exhaust myself into a depression just so I’m not perceived as being unambitious or I don’t care about my craft or my future? How can you show up for others, or better yet, yourself, when you aren’t at 100% or at least in a creative mood? You can’t.

My advice to you would be…

*Take a break if you feel like you’re creating to create and not creating because it’s something you feel proud about. Your community, your people will still support you even if you take some time off to get back to you.

*Be okay with telling people “no” or “not right now” if you feel socially drained or can’t commit to something at that moment. If they’re your real friends or care about you, they will understand. If they can’t respect your boundaries, then you might need to reevaluate their place in your life.

And lastly,

*Be patient with yourself. Life be lifeing, and out of the one hundred million responsibilities you have, putting in extra time to be creative and focus on your business, etc deserves a round of applause. It’s not easy, yet you’re doing it. In a world where many think that pursuing a career in any creative field is just a “hobby” or a “once in a lifetime opportunity,” betting on yourself and putting in the effort deserves a standing ovation.

As always, I love you all and I am rooting for you!

Signed,

The Neighborhood Homegirl