Get Out of Your Head: Say No to Burnout

Do me a favor, would you? Take the headphones out. Turn the Youtube video off. Turn off the tv. And just sit. Sit with your own thoughts. Let your mind wander. You know, sometimes we have this tendency to sit in autopilot, right? We get so caught up with work and our relationships with our loved ones that sometimes we forget to carve out those moments for us to just be and explore each and every corner of our minds- finding those passion projects that over the years have somehow gotten lost under mounds of responsibilities. I get it. How can you launch that podcast of yours when you're still trying to figure out how to pay off Sallie Mae? How can you possibly maintain a successful relationship when you have this Youtube channel you want to get off the ground?

8 months ago, I pressed publish on my very first story and released Brainwash into the digital space and never looked back. Since then I have managed to put out stories of my own and create a platform for other creatives to come and tell their story in their voice. Unfiltered and unedited (okay to be fair there is some slight editing that happens but not a lot). I have had the pleasure of interviewing artists of all different mediums and have them share and inspire Brainwash readers to go after that dream they have so meticulously stashed away. What happens to a dream deferred? Better yet, what happens when that dream is actualized? What do you do when you've done all you can ( Donnie McClurkin reference anyone)? No, but seriously, what happens after you take that first step? When you release that first Youtube video or you drop your first mixtape? See, what they don't tell you is that allowing your creative juices to flow on a consistent basis once you've released your passion project into the ether is soooooo difficult. Let me tell ya, running a digital media platform each and every week is TRICKY. BEWARE OF THE BURNOUT. Do not lose sight of why you started in the first place. It is so easy to get bogged down by trying to be great and be perfect so much so that you stop creating altogether. I've stared at many a blank computer screens and let my fear of not being good enough stop me from creating. Don't let that happen. Sometimes you're going to create stuff that's wack. It's inevitable. Shut up and do it anyway. Beware of the burnout. When you start creating with the intention of sharing it with the world and you add in things like deadlines and ~college~ it is so easy to burn yourself out.

You have to nurture your gift and protect your magic. Take a break. Recalibrate your mind and refocus. Make sure that in the process of chasing a dream you don't forget to take care of yourself. In a time where you can wake up and see yet another black person murdered in cold blood by the police, it is important that you pay extra attention to how you are feeling to make sure that you don't lose bits and pieces of yourself along the way. Stop beating yourself up. That whole "Rise and grind / sleep when you're dead" rhetoric spewed by folks on social media is a load of basura. Taking care of your mind, body, and spirit is imperative if you want to continue to create magic. Now that you've started it is time to devise a plan. Create a reasonable schedule for yourself. Give yourself some wiggle room to just be and live your life. START ASKING FOR HELP. No one cares that you haven't slept in 3 days or that you got Gucci/Louis/Prada bags under your eyes. Look around and I'm sure you can find young creatives who are looking to work alongside you and create amazing content. Most importantly, speak life. There will be challenges and roadblocks and moments where you start to question why you're even doing this in the first place but in those moments if you could just remind yourself of how fly you are and how many people wish they had the confidence to do the very thing you are doing right now you will be just fine! 

Brainwash is expanding and growing and we have some cool stuff happening but we need your help. Contributors! Brainwash is nothing without its contributors so if you would like to be a content creator for Brainwash check out the submission guidelines over hurr and let's get into it! Oh and if you're not a writer or photographer and you want to help Brainwash build and grow you can still email us at Ayanna@brainwashdigital.com and let us know how you would like to help! 

What are some passion projects you've wanted to start but keep talking yourself out of? Let us know in the comment section below or tweet me at @wowiwrite and let us know how you're feeling!