Erin's Lounge

Summer days are counting down and I appear to have been MIA. Sorry about that. But my lounging has been endless this summer. I call this Lazy Summer Lounge Syndrome. I’m potentially pushing through the most difficult time of my entrepreneurial career. But it’s so rewarding when the pay off finally comes. But until that payoff does come, how do I keep myself going? For those of you who are on your hustle, trying to make it work with a business or non-traditional career, the down times can be tough, but you can over do it in the lounging department if you’re not careful. There comes a point when it’s no longer called lounging and you’re just being lazy. I’ve been there.

Here’s what I try to do to prevent this shameless laziness spiral from taking control of my life when my spirits are not as “up” as they could be.

1. Don’t fall victim to the big “pig out” sessions. I know this is tempting and I’ve definitely inhaled my share of Haagen Dazs this summer, but I’ve learned to cut back. Instead of eating an entire pint, I just get the little dixie cup size to cut the urge. Eating healthy always makes me feel better, but when I fall off the wagon, I can really fall hard. So I have to make it a “once a week” thing.

2. Get out and move. I try and make sure I do something every day. Though it’s hard when you’re thinking too hard about what you’d like to have happen versus what is actually happening in your life. Good thing I have a dog that forces me out of my home office to walk. I always take Wesley and go walking in the hills but his little legs are so short we can only go so far. Yoga is really my outlet when I manage to get there. Whatever exercise there is that you like to do, do it. It can relax your mind and relieve the tension. I always sleep so well after yoga.

3. Don’t stop working on it. Whatever thing you’re doing or trying to do in life, you’re sometimes going to have a door or two slammed in your face. If you’re an actor you may not get that second call back. If you’re an entrepreneur you may not get that deal or someone may take 90 days to pay you rather than 30 days. But you have to recover and keep things moving. Everything that is supposed to happen always happens in due time so try not to stress about it and continue to work on your projects. Go to another audition, work on your portfolio, make some sales calls, etc. It’s better than just focusing on what’s not happening. Focus on what you can control.

4. Stay focused on your spiritual inspiration. Whatever or whomever you seek spiritual guidance from, whether it be God, Allah, Buddha or the Torah, don’t lose site of it. I tend to occasionally stray away from my spiritual connection and sometimes I just need to get my focus back because it helps me feel so much better and see life more clearly. Many times you may just get basic stuff, but they are the essentials we lose site of in the daily grind.

I now have to go and practice what I preach. Yoga this afternoon and more work tonight. I’m not a therapist, but I am learning how to survive while in pursuit of a dream. Let me what survival tactics you’re using.

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