Well… I need to be better about taking my own advice. Remember how, um, just recently I needed to be better about saying no? Yea, I’ve been saying yes still. (Actually, to give myself some credit, I have been saying no more, just not saying it nearly enough.)
Honestly, I don’t know what happened. I blinked and it’s mid-September. Wasn’t it JUST Labor Day?
I bit off more than I can chew and I’m feeling overwhelmed, but it’s really a good thing at the end of the day. I just have to be more strategic and I need to build out my team faster than I thought. The thing is that incredible opportunities have been coming my way. And I just can’t say no to them! Working with my favorite brands, taking my blog to new levels, and building my own personal ventures on the side. It’s been amazing.
I want to be able to celebrate the growth and the opportunities… not find myself stretched way too thin and a ball of stress.
Last week was bad, and yesterday was worse. I may or may not have called my mom begging her to come to NYC just to help out for a day or two. If you’re friends with me on Snapchat (@collegeprepster), you might have seen the snap I sent of the state of my apartment. Boxes. Everywhere. I spent hours going through the boxes, itemizing what I needed to post about, and organizing the rest for content later. I hate having a cluttered apartment (+ pseudo-office), but it’s been a challenge to keep the small space organized with the influx of packages.
I’m at a crossroads where my day-to-day tasks (the emails, blogging, meetings, etc.) have been preventing me from also doing long-term planning for future growth and opportunities.
Part of the problem was that I didn’t have a clear picture of what I needed to do when and what I promised people I would do and what contracts had outstanding to-dos on my end. So I pulled out my laptop, my agenda where I keep track of post dates, a notebook for scratch paper/notes, and another notebook where I keep track of all my contracted work. It took about four hours, but I finally (FINALLY!!!!) got my bearings. With emails and queries coming in left and right, I just have to be vigilant about staying on top of things. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it really makes me miss college when you got a syllabus at the beginning of the semester and knew exactly what was coming around the corner.
^^ Around midnight, ha!
I slept a bit easier… and hit the ground running today.
One major thing that is helpful? Having a solid support system. A mom who will let you cry for twenty minutes just to get it off your chest. A boyfriend who doesn’t think you’re crazy for working until 2am. A best friend who hops on Skype when I need a good listening ear. Another best friend who sends supportive emails, just because. AND YOU TOO. Reading everyone’s comments on my Instagram last night made me feel so good. Thank you!!! I love everyone in my tight little circle and am so appreciative of their and your support. (Plus, they are awesome and I get so much energy just hearing about each of their own lives, dreams, and goals!)
It’s an exciting time and I want to be able to be excited about it. I also never want to wish away the opportunities because I am most certainly grateful.
xoxo
PS Just to add insult to injury, with a small dose of irony… I got bit by a spider last week. (Hah, I get it Universe. I bit off more than I can chew and a spider bites me….) I’ll spare you and not show photos, but it’s gross. I went to the doctor when it was clear that it was getting worse, not better and it turns out that I’m just having a terrible allergic reaction to it. Let’s just say…. thank goodness it’s cold enough for long sleeves. The medicine seems to be helping and I’m hoping it’s 100% soon!
I got a spider bite too and unfortunately for me medication didn't work so I had to a shot. I'm sure that everything will turn out alright!
Alyssa J Freitas
Hope things balance out soon! Sending good vibes and applauding you for your amazing work ethic!
I hope you get better soon! Sending positive vibes because you deserve it!
pink champagne problems
Glad you got it all organized and prioritized! I'm sure everything seems much better now!
Emily
Life of Emily
I feel like I've bitten off a lot, but I have yet to see if it's too much! I'm into my third week of classes of my freshman year of college, and clubs are just starting too. I was so excited for college, because there are so many opportunities here that I didn't have in high school. Unfortunately, my major interests are super time consuming, so I don't have time to get little tastes of my other interests, but we'll see how it goes! (btw, working until 2AM is not bad at all! Well, it is, but it could be worse 😛 I think that's a normal time to sleep, though I'm trying my best to sleep before midnight, because if I'm staying up until 2AM during my first semester of freshman year, who knows how long I'll stay up until during my senior year!!) -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey's
This is so familiar to me. Oh yeah, it's because Mackenzie at Design Darling JUST posted about the exact same things earlier this morning.
what's with all the boxes, are you moving? or do you get that much free stuff? if it's the latter, well then, that's just awesome and shouldn't be overwhelming.
I had a nasty spider bite once and it was no joke! It swelled to basically the size of a tennis ball on my shin. I remember being in so much pain just because of how much it stretched my skin. (TMI ALERT! Why am I admitting this?!)
Anyway, Yes! I've been feeling overwhelmed by work and my blog lately too. When there's so much to do, it's really hard finding where to start. I spent the bulk of my day today just organizing things and making a timeline for myself. Nothing was necessarily checked off my list – but having a game plan is key!
So proud of you and all of your success! You totally deserve it, and none of us want you to feel burnt out at the end of the day. Keep fighting to keep perspective and talking to your friends/family/boyfriend/readers. We're all here for you.
xoxo
Kelly
http://www.dreaminlace.com
A tennis ball?! OMG! Mine was just like a golf ball…. but it was the rash (tmi?!) that was really bad part. SO GROSS. #longsleevesforever
Such an honest post. I tend to say yes to everything too, it can be so draining, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Sometimes you need to take a day, or night, to recoup and get all your ducks back in a row. So glad you got things worked out! And so sorry about that spider bite, that would FREAK me out!!!
xo, Taylor
This is why I still follow your blog. A blog is more or less about a persons life and most of the other bloggers put this fake front that just alienates readers. Life is not perfect .You share your struggles, your fears, and your full scale tribulations. All of them are very real and very present in different ways in everyone's life. You also tell us how you beat those fears and manage those struggles which is liberating and makes me ( and I hope more people) feel that it does get better. We ALL go through tough times but its not a reason to give up but to work harder and get your business together. I am happy you are still YOU!
I glad you took time and took control of what was making you a little crazy.Hope your bite heals and you feel better 🙂
-Monica
http://www.theregoesmonica.com
I hope everything works out fine. You are very strong and I know everything will work out.
But maybe this whirlwind busy season is going on for everyone, I feel like I'm in the same boat here at school right. Crazy!
There is nothing worse than feeling like things are out of control…except for that spider bite you mentioned, holy moly! I hope it heals soon! However, having a support system is the greatest feeling in the world 🙂
26 and Not Counting
Thank you thank you thank you!!! For uploading this post. Just the other day I was feeling so overwhelmed. My mom and I were talking about the different career paths that I should look into. The pros and cons of all of them. What it will take to get to the level I should be at. And for most, this would be fun, but for me I just get so stressed out. I'm taking college courses for the first time. Academically I've been stressed. Physically I'm exhausted. I can barely plan what I'll be doing in 5 minutes let alone 5 years. So just talking about college and my future was just too much. I was crying. After reading your post today, I feel so much better knowing that I'm not alone. You're such a huge role model for me in my life. And to know that you get overwhelmed and that you're human, makes me feel so much better about all of the stress and confusion I'm going through about planning my life to your age. So thank you. Please know that your blog has a great influence on so many of your readers. Keep it up. You're doing a great job and touching so many people. So thank you again.
Caroline Lindey
pinkandpreppyperfection.blogspot.com
That's how I feel right now! I'm in my last year in community college, and applying to transfer right now. I decided to take on more than I can chew! I'm taking hard science classes, became an officer in a club, and working as well. In club, there's opportunities given to me and I'm now saying yes to everything, and it sucks. Everything is hitting at me at once, and I feel like I definitely do not have time to have fun anymore. Thank you so so much for posting this! It really helps when I read your blog when I'm in a pinch!
I hope that you can get everything fixed and organized so that you can do what you love and what you must do. I just started college and it has been really crazy. It is so hard to try to keep everything balance. I don't do any out side of school activities because I feel already feel like I am going crazy! But like you said, it is nice to have a good support system. I also have a wonderful boyfriend who keeps me calm in moments of stress:P haha. But anyways, I wish you nothing nothing but the best. I just started looking at peoples blogs and I really love yours. Maybe when you have time you can swing on by my blog and check it out:) It's manly about health, relationships and other fun things<3
http://www.sillycrazylove.com
Ahh, good luck with that spider bite! It's crazy how life throws you these weird curve balls. Also, I'm so excited for you and all the opportunities coming your way! It might be my dream to own a blog like yours with all the boxes coming my way (; But I totally understand how stressed you were with everything you have to get done- I'm a "yes man" too. I LOVE your blog and everything that you do! Keep at it, you're always inspiring the rest of us to dream big and work hard. Take care (: