Sleepless nights. Worries about bills that might not have gotten paid. Excitement about a future vision of your company that’s 10X bigger than you are today. The debilitating feeling that you can’t do any of it.
As the owner of Revel, I sail the ocean of entrepreneurship every day. Some days are clear and calm with sunny skies. Others feel like the darkest, nastiest storm that’s ready to just pummel everything I love into oblivion. And it really is that drastic and can really swing that much that quickly–just in a couple days’ time. Sometimes the very next day.
Already earlier this year, I experienced a new low… ironically in the midst of the biggest year Revel was having to date. By all accounts, business was great. We were on track to double again in 2022, just as we had for the past three years. Only everything wasn’t great. And I found myself one night this year alone in my home office, completely breaking down. Feeling crushed by the pressure. Feeling like I literally wasn’t “enough” in any aspect of my life. Not enough of a parent. Not enough of a spouse. Not leading the team enough. Not driving growth enough. Not nurturing relationships enough. Not a good enough friend.
It’s the kind of thing that thankfully I had access to someone to talk about–and talk I did. I regularly see a therapist and have on and off throughout my life as a business owner. And beyond helping me navigate these kinds of extremely challenging moments, getting support and taking my mental health seriously has meant several other improvements. I’m less likely to project my issues into my business. I’m also more likely to be tuned into my team and their needs. It’s like good mental hygiene.
So if you’re feeling like things are just too much to bear, I’m warmly encouraging you to reach out to any kind of help that’s accessible to you. A friend, a therapist, an online support group, a spiritual leader, or even to just take some time having an honest conversation with yourself. As owners we often think we “should know” how to navigate things and can feel reluctant to ask for help–and this is one area where you don’t want to give into that urge. Remember that there is no such thing as a “self-made” leader… we’re all standing on someone’s shoulders and we all lean on and get supported by others along our journey.
Even the darkest of storms will eventually return to calm waters, eventually.
And we’re here for you–anytime.
