☁️ Navigating chaos as a creative

Survival mode: activated

Hi friend,

Welcome to another long-form edition of Social Media Detox!

I’ve been going through a lot of extreme stress recently! You may have noticed in that this essay series hasn’t gone out in two months.

But I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s gone ✨ through it ✨ so let’s talk about it!! In this essay, we’ll talk about why survival mode is so necessary, what getting through each day might look like, and how to reemerge from the chaos.

If you’re going through a time, I hope this helps you remember: you are not alone.

with warmth + love,

N

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Life has really been a time recently.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to apologize to people for missing deadlines or ghosting texts or simply dropping the ball.

I consider myself someone who thrives in high-stress environments, yet the past few months have given me stress that manifests itself despite my resistance. My face is covered in stress acne spots. My diet is almost entirely carbs and sugar. My creativity is at an all-time low.

Hell, it’s been two months since I last wrote one of these essays to you.

I think it’s safe to say that some stresses are beyond anything meditation or productivity hacks can solve. So, why do I gaslight myself into thinking these shortcomings are somehow my fault?