thank you for sharing this sooo important post. I too had a moment of overwhelm at the beginning of summer this year, after my 'first season on substack' (starting last autumn), posting twice a week... when I heard that inner voice saying "if you don't take a break soon, you'll burn yourself out!"
And I'm not even a single mum anymore (kids long since grown and flown) 🦅
So I took a break. For two and a half months. It was scary at first. Then very freeing, enjoyable, and truly regenerating. Now I'm happy to be back, having just posted my first chapter of the new season, buzzing with new creative juices. Finally learning that taking a rest is an essential part of doing our best work.
Hello, Veronika! I'm not sure why I never saw this when you posted it. Geesh!
Thank you for sharing about your break. That sounds like such a life-changing experience. I would like to think I could manage that, but I'm not quite yet in a place where I can logistically make it happen. Thanks for the inspiration, though! I have goals now!!
Jamie, your post resonated with me on so many levels. That feeling of the Time Gap swallowing you whole? It's like you've been peeking into my life. The constant juggling act of work, personal projects, and the ever-present desire to create something meaningful – it's a battle I know all too well. Your honesty about the challenges is refreshing, and it's comforting to know I'm not alone in this. Here's to figuring out how to close that Time Gap, one step at a time!
Hello, Alexander. I'm never happy to hear someone else is suffering from the Time Gap, but a little piece of me is a tiny bit happy to know I'm not alone. ;)
There are definitely some days when I wonder WHY I have that "ever-present desire to create something meaningful." I mean, my life would probably be a whole lot easier if I didn't feel that drive to create, but - so far - I have never come away from such ruminations any more willing to give up on my creative practice or dreams.
So ... as you say ... forward ho, one step at a time!
Lately I've been feeling a time gap too. I always get ambitious around fall with new things I want to start, and have to drop a few. I think it's my brain wanting to go back to school, but we have a full time job now :(
As far as Substack, I think it's ok to change what you're doing as you go. I see it more as a writing project, not a social media "brand" that is set in stone.
I love that poem, too. And I love hearing Mary Oliver read it.
I feel the same way about fall. To me, it feels much more like a fresh start than January, which is a little weird since - at least where I live - the fall season is when everything is dying off and returning to the earth.
But that's a rabbit hole to go down another time. ;)
Thank you for the suggestion to think of Substack more as a project than a brand. That is kind of brilliant and very comforting. I'm going to try that!
I used to live my life like it was one “pilot project” after another. Paddling hard like a duckling left abandoned in a wash tub half filled with water just to stay true and stay afloat.
The next step is always easy. If it’s not easy, it’s not the next step on the path of your own authentic life.
Hello, Dwana. Thanks so much for being here, and for bringing such an interesting perspective. I'm not sure I've ever heard, "The next step is always easy," but it's certainly something to think about. Thanks for that!
Such a great post, Jamie! It’s curious timing that I read it today, because last night and this morning I was sort of in a rut - it was the Time Gap, I now know- and I went for a hike, came home, and read this. Very serendipitous.
P.S. I feel like I like your Dad based on his “annoying” saying. I love it. :)
Hey, Mike! Yeah ... I love my dad's "annoying" saying, too. And my dad, of course. ;)
Glad this post arrived at the right time. Sorry you were in a rut. I hope your hike helped clear your head. So often I find that the best thing I can do to reconnect and ground myself is just getting outside and moving. Mother Nature is a wonderful therapist!
Yes. I hear you. I see you. The see saw of free content that builds community and the work that pays the bills. Whether the same discipline or not, it is a dance. ( I struggle some weeks with one YT video, not sure how you juggled three posts here each week! ) Please schedule in time to play!
Hello, Jennifer! Yes, I can tell you know the drill. Finding balance as a creator is so hard. And there's SO much advice out there. It gets really confusing really quickly. I'm starting to think the best strategy is to just trust your own instincts. 😉
Thanks for the commiseration. Sending you support and sanity.
And I will definitely be making more time to play. After all, all work and no play makes Jamie a very dull (and cranky) girl! xo
This spoke to my heart. When I started posting regularly, I was so impressed by your stack that I tried for 2x weekly. You made it look so easy. But i quickly had to go down to 1 per week as it wasn’t sustainable with two other jobs. Even our dream job can give us burn out if we don’t give ourselves the space we need. I hope you get some rest and time for play. 😊
Oh! Your comment broke my heart a little! 🥹 Thank you for sharing how things looked from where you were sitting. That's exactly why I published this post ... because I didn't want to be setting a "bad" (unrealistic) example for anyone else. I'm working on a post that is all about how making it look easy can be really harmful.
I'm so glad you're finding your own cadence groove, and I appreciate your bit of wisdom: that even our dream jobs can burn us out. So, so true.
I WILL make time for rest and play this weekend. Hope you do too. That's what makes life (and us!) interesting, right?
It’s not bad at all, I think we get sucked into the fun with good intentions and excitement without realizing it’s a little too much. We’re both learning! What I love the most is your honesty and vulnerability. That takes guts. Cheers to having fun and figuring it out.
I don't have anything insightful to add, but I totally understand what you mean. It's easy to want to do all the things and try to build the future we want, and then overcommit and be overwhelmed. I think I have been in this place for the last 3 years, honestly. Another annoying saying I hear all the time is "It's a marathon, not a sprint," (also annoying because it's true). And I love your writing and your thoughts, so please don't feel the need to burn yourself out! The great thing about art is that only you can create the thing you want to create, so whatever time it takes you, or whatever interval you need is just the right amount of time, even if it's not what we envision or expect of ourselves. Does that make sense? Hope you get a chance to recharge this weekend!
Hello, Claire! You definitely had something insightful to add 😊 : "... whatever interval you need it just the right amount of time." The hustle culture we live in seeps into our psyches, and makes us feel like everything is a race. I mean, most of the time, I feel like I'm "late" or "behind." BUT - as you say - each of us is the only person who can create our art, and whatever time we need to do that is the Right Amount of Time. We don't need to "keep up"or stay on any external schedule. That's SO important to remember. Thanks for the reminder, and - of course - for being here. Makes me happy!
OMG. This is just what I needed to read, Jamie. And you say it so well. I'm having a similar experience, and really love this reminder. It's golden. I'm looking for balance in my life, my food, my writing, my social sphere. And yes, it's okay to take a step back. I have to do that, or at least know it's okay to do that. I've been wondering, on a daily basis, if I've overextended myself. Writing on Substack has offered me an invitation to a world I never imagined I'd be a part of. I've opted in to a lot of opportunities for growth and more self-examination. And I'm sharing myself with my writing, in new and sometimes scary ways. I'm 100% in, and at the same time, I'm getting more honest with myself about how much I can do realistically, while being my own source of income. I'm self-employed as well, and that offers me a lot of freedom, and sometimes some insecurity. Obv, I can write a lot about all of this, but really, I just want to acknowledge you and thank you for sharing this so beautifully. You are an absolutely wonderful writer. I'm so happy to know you. xoxo
"Balance" is such a lovely concept. As a Libra sun (and part-time astrologer nerd), I feel like balance ought to be my birthright, but ... no such luck. If anything, it feels more like my nemesis - always alluding me.
I'm so glad this post found you when you needed it most, and I look forward to us reminding each other to take a beat and give ourselves a moment to catch our breath.
Thanks so much for being here, and for sharing. I really appreciate it. xo
This happened to me as well. I had a couple of slow months and started finding my way on Substack. Then the rest of my work load picked up and nearly swamped the boat.
Now I’m into the “it’s a marathon, not a 5K” zone. One post per week, maybe 2. Consistent commenting and notes. Long haul thinking.
YES. The marathon-not-a-sprint mindset is key. The thing with a place like Substack is it's SO exciting! It's like walking into a bazaar or a carnival or some other place that's bustling with people, performers, lights, and every other kind of delicious distraction you can think of. It's very hard not to get swept up.
I for one am glad your boat didn't get swamped. Here's to taking the slow road (river?). :)
My Substack experience has been very similar, Jamie. A (small) explosion of creative output and connection and taking time to ruminate and think about big ideas and stuff outside the everyday. Time to plan and write ahead of time.
Then work picked up again--as it always does--and took over my brain. I put down the Substack baton for a single week, telling myself it was okay, it was just one week. But I've struggled to pick it up again. And I was only every trying to publish once a week, not three times. That's why I signed up to the same course as you--in hopes it would force me to set time aside to get back to the work.
Thank you for the reminder of Pooh's hunny pots calling him home. That's a lovely image to come back to.
Hello, Miranda! Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. I think I was a tiny bit terrified to muck up my schedule, even for one week, because I worried that I might not get back on track. I have been known to say, somewhat in self mockery, that I have two speeds: 100 mph and completely immobile. I'm starting to figure out that I need to find a happy middle ground that I can sustain over the long haul instead of "Run! Run! Run!" followed by "crash." Glad we're in class together and can help each other along. :) Thanks so much for being here.
That's me too, Jamie! 100mph or immobile. I've been trying to find that happy middle all my life. I'm just not sure I have that mode in me.
The class is really helping me to get back into the writer mode. The publishing and promoting muscles are still sorely out of practice, although I did publish my post from last week's exercise today. I just hope I can turn that one-off into renewed momentum to keep going.
Happy to help you along any way I can. It's good to know another all-or-nothing Substacker.
I'm so glad we're on this journey together, and I'm very much looking forward to reading (listening to!) your latest post. Your note about it gave me tingles. xo
Same! I hope you enjoy the new piece/recording. It’s the first time I’ve tried recording a post. I usually rely on the AI version. It feels very uncomfortable listening to my own voice, but I’m hopeful that it’ll get easier.
Great tile, I look forward to reading.
Hello, Prajna. I can't believe I never saw this comment. So sorry. Thanks for coming by. I hope you enjoyed the piece!
thank you for sharing this sooo important post. I too had a moment of overwhelm at the beginning of summer this year, after my 'first season on substack' (starting last autumn), posting twice a week... when I heard that inner voice saying "if you don't take a break soon, you'll burn yourself out!"
And I'm not even a single mum anymore (kids long since grown and flown) 🦅
So I took a break. For two and a half months. It was scary at first. Then very freeing, enjoyable, and truly regenerating. Now I'm happy to be back, having just posted my first chapter of the new season, buzzing with new creative juices. Finally learning that taking a rest is an essential part of doing our best work.
Hello, Veronika! I'm not sure why I never saw this when you posted it. Geesh!
Thank you for sharing about your break. That sounds like such a life-changing experience. I would like to think I could manage that, but I'm not quite yet in a place where I can logistically make it happen. Thanks for the inspiration, though! I have goals now!!
ohh, no worries, Jamie! life sometimes gets in the way of my substacking too...
and we both know how writing develops a life of its own ~ inviting us to follow where it goes...
xxx
Just getting to reading this. Yes, totally understand this since, I too, am a single mother trying to pay the bills.
Work heating up theses past two weeks and it’s go-go time for me.
Yet, I can’t help but think our journey to self-discovery cannot and will not be sidelined.
Put everything in a box. Prioritize. But, never let your dreams go sideways 🥰
Can't believe I'm just seeing this comment now.
I hope the chaos has calmed a little, and that you didn't have to sideline any of your self discovery for too long! ;)
Jamie, your post resonated with me on so many levels. That feeling of the Time Gap swallowing you whole? It's like you've been peeking into my life. The constant juggling act of work, personal projects, and the ever-present desire to create something meaningful – it's a battle I know all too well. Your honesty about the challenges is refreshing, and it's comforting to know I'm not alone in this. Here's to figuring out how to close that Time Gap, one step at a time!
Hello, Alexander. I'm never happy to hear someone else is suffering from the Time Gap, but a little piece of me is a tiny bit happy to know I'm not alone. ;)
There are definitely some days when I wonder WHY I have that "ever-present desire to create something meaningful." I mean, my life would probably be a whole lot easier if I didn't feel that drive to create, but - so far - I have never come away from such ruminations any more willing to give up on my creative practice or dreams.
So ... as you say ... forward ho, one step at a time!
Lately I've been feeling a time gap too. I always get ambitious around fall with new things I want to start, and have to drop a few. I think it's my brain wanting to go back to school, but we have a full time job now :(
As far as Substack, I think it's ok to change what you're doing as you go. I see it more as a writing project, not a social media "brand" that is set in stone.
PS That is one of my favorite poems!
Hello, Kate!!
I love that poem, too. And I love hearing Mary Oliver read it.
I feel the same way about fall. To me, it feels much more like a fresh start than January, which is a little weird since - at least where I live - the fall season is when everything is dying off and returning to the earth.
But that's a rabbit hole to go down another time. ;)
Thank you for the suggestion to think of Substack more as a project than a brand. That is kind of brilliant and very comforting. I'm going to try that!
I used to live my life like it was one “pilot project” after another. Paddling hard like a duckling left abandoned in a wash tub half filled with water just to stay true and stay afloat.
The next step is always easy. If it’s not easy, it’s not the next step on the path of your own authentic life.
Hello, Dwana. Thanks so much for being here, and for bringing such an interesting perspective. I'm not sure I've ever heard, "The next step is always easy," but it's certainly something to think about. Thanks for that!
Such a great post, Jamie! It’s curious timing that I read it today, because last night and this morning I was sort of in a rut - it was the Time Gap, I now know- and I went for a hike, came home, and read this. Very serendipitous.
P.S. I feel like I like your Dad based on his “annoying” saying. I love it. :)
Hey, Mike! Yeah ... I love my dad's "annoying" saying, too. And my dad, of course. ;)
Glad this post arrived at the right time. Sorry you were in a rut. I hope your hike helped clear your head. So often I find that the best thing I can do to reconnect and ground myself is just getting outside and moving. Mother Nature is a wonderful therapist!
Thanks for being here!
Yes. I hear you. I see you. The see saw of free content that builds community and the work that pays the bills. Whether the same discipline or not, it is a dance. ( I struggle some weeks with one YT video, not sure how you juggled three posts here each week! ) Please schedule in time to play!
Hello, Jennifer! Yes, I can tell you know the drill. Finding balance as a creator is so hard. And there's SO much advice out there. It gets really confusing really quickly. I'm starting to think the best strategy is to just trust your own instincts. 😉
Thanks for the commiseration. Sending you support and sanity.
And I will definitely be making more time to play. After all, all work and no play makes Jamie a very dull (and cranky) girl! xo
This spoke to my heart. When I started posting regularly, I was so impressed by your stack that I tried for 2x weekly. You made it look so easy. But i quickly had to go down to 1 per week as it wasn’t sustainable with two other jobs. Even our dream job can give us burn out if we don’t give ourselves the space we need. I hope you get some rest and time for play. 😊
Oh! Your comment broke my heart a little! 🥹 Thank you for sharing how things looked from where you were sitting. That's exactly why I published this post ... because I didn't want to be setting a "bad" (unrealistic) example for anyone else. I'm working on a post that is all about how making it look easy can be really harmful.
I'm so glad you're finding your own cadence groove, and I appreciate your bit of wisdom: that even our dream jobs can burn us out. So, so true.
I WILL make time for rest and play this weekend. Hope you do too. That's what makes life (and us!) interesting, right?
Thanks for coming by and sharing. Truly.
It’s not bad at all, I think we get sucked into the fun with good intentions and excitement without realizing it’s a little too much. We’re both learning! What I love the most is your honesty and vulnerability. That takes guts. Cheers to having fun and figuring it out.
I don't have anything insightful to add, but I totally understand what you mean. It's easy to want to do all the things and try to build the future we want, and then overcommit and be overwhelmed. I think I have been in this place for the last 3 years, honestly. Another annoying saying I hear all the time is "It's a marathon, not a sprint," (also annoying because it's true). And I love your writing and your thoughts, so please don't feel the need to burn yourself out! The great thing about art is that only you can create the thing you want to create, so whatever time it takes you, or whatever interval you need is just the right amount of time, even if it's not what we envision or expect of ourselves. Does that make sense? Hope you get a chance to recharge this weekend!
Hello, Claire! You definitely had something insightful to add 😊 : "... whatever interval you need it just the right amount of time." The hustle culture we live in seeps into our psyches, and makes us feel like everything is a race. I mean, most of the time, I feel like I'm "late" or "behind." BUT - as you say - each of us is the only person who can create our art, and whatever time we need to do that is the Right Amount of Time. We don't need to "keep up"or stay on any external schedule. That's SO important to remember. Thanks for the reminder, and - of course - for being here. Makes me happy!
OMG. This is just what I needed to read, Jamie. And you say it so well. I'm having a similar experience, and really love this reminder. It's golden. I'm looking for balance in my life, my food, my writing, my social sphere. And yes, it's okay to take a step back. I have to do that, or at least know it's okay to do that. I've been wondering, on a daily basis, if I've overextended myself. Writing on Substack has offered me an invitation to a world I never imagined I'd be a part of. I've opted in to a lot of opportunities for growth and more self-examination. And I'm sharing myself with my writing, in new and sometimes scary ways. I'm 100% in, and at the same time, I'm getting more honest with myself about how much I can do realistically, while being my own source of income. I'm self-employed as well, and that offers me a lot of freedom, and sometimes some insecurity. Obv, I can write a lot about all of this, but really, I just want to acknowledge you and thank you for sharing this so beautifully. You are an absolutely wonderful writer. I'm so happy to know you. xoxo
Oh, thank you, Nan. I'm happy to know you too! 💜
"Balance" is such a lovely concept. As a Libra sun (and part-time astrologer nerd), I feel like balance ought to be my birthright, but ... no such luck. If anything, it feels more like my nemesis - always alluding me.
I'm so glad this post found you when you needed it most, and I look forward to us reminding each other to take a beat and give ourselves a moment to catch our breath.
Thanks so much for being here, and for sharing. I really appreciate it. xo
Lots of love, Jamie!
This happened to me as well. I had a couple of slow months and started finding my way on Substack. Then the rest of my work load picked up and nearly swamped the boat.
Now I’m into the “it’s a marathon, not a 5K” zone. One post per week, maybe 2. Consistent commenting and notes. Long haul thinking.
YES. The marathon-not-a-sprint mindset is key. The thing with a place like Substack is it's SO exciting! It's like walking into a bazaar or a carnival or some other place that's bustling with people, performers, lights, and every other kind of delicious distraction you can think of. It's very hard not to get swept up.
I for one am glad your boat didn't get swamped. Here's to taking the slow road (river?). :)
Thanks for coming by!
My Substack experience has been very similar, Jamie. A (small) explosion of creative output and connection and taking time to ruminate and think about big ideas and stuff outside the everyday. Time to plan and write ahead of time.
Then work picked up again--as it always does--and took over my brain. I put down the Substack baton for a single week, telling myself it was okay, it was just one week. But I've struggled to pick it up again. And I was only every trying to publish once a week, not three times. That's why I signed up to the same course as you--in hopes it would force me to set time aside to get back to the work.
Thank you for the reminder of Pooh's hunny pots calling him home. That's a lovely image to come back to.
Hello, Miranda! Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. I think I was a tiny bit terrified to muck up my schedule, even for one week, because I worried that I might not get back on track. I have been known to say, somewhat in self mockery, that I have two speeds: 100 mph and completely immobile. I'm starting to figure out that I need to find a happy middle ground that I can sustain over the long haul instead of "Run! Run! Run!" followed by "crash." Glad we're in class together and can help each other along. :) Thanks so much for being here.
That's me too, Jamie! 100mph or immobile. I've been trying to find that happy middle all my life. I'm just not sure I have that mode in me.
The class is really helping me to get back into the writer mode. The publishing and promoting muscles are still sorely out of practice, although I did publish my post from last week's exercise today. I just hope I can turn that one-off into renewed momentum to keep going.
Happy to help you along any way I can. It's good to know another all-or-nothing Substacker.
I'm so glad we're on this journey together, and I'm very much looking forward to reading (listening to!) your latest post. Your note about it gave me tingles. xo
Same! I hope you enjoy the new piece/recording. It’s the first time I’ve tried recording a post. I usually rely on the AI version. It feels very uncomfortable listening to my own voice, but I’m hopeful that it’ll get easier.