When It All Feels Too Much: How to Keep Going on Your Toughest Days

A Handmade Seller’s Guide to Overcoming Overwhelm and Finding Your Way Back to Joy

On a day like today, when I feel like quitting and throwing in the towel, it can be hard to see a way forward. I’ve been there—feeling mad, grumpy, overwhelmed, and disappointed with myself.

Today, Valentine’s Day should be a day of celebration, but instead, the weight of wholesale mishaps, soaring shipping costs, live selling fears, delayed packaging, and tech issues has me on the brink of tears. If you’re facing similar challenges, take a breath. You’re not alone.

Acknowledge Your Struggles

First, let’s get real. Some days, it feels like everything is falling apart.

• We screwed up two wholesale orders by flip-flopping the labels, and both customers are furious.

• A big order is lost during your busiest season, and your shipping rates have skyrocketed—$7,500 in shipping losses over the last three months.

• My new printer is printing weird lines, and custom projects are piling up with no solution in sight.

• And on top of all that, the fear of live selling is weighing heavy on my heart.

Bold Insight: It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Acknowledge the challenges without judgment. Sometimes, admitting that today is a tough day is the first step toward finding a solution.

Take a Break & Recenter

When everything feels too heavy, the best thing you can do is take a break.

• Step away from your workspace—even if it’s just for a few minutes—to breathe, stretch, or even go for a short walk.

• Remind yourself that today is Valentine’s Day—a day meant for love and celebration. Allow yourself a moment to pause and recharge.

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Actionable Tip: Schedule short breaks throughout your day. Use techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or a quick walk to clear your mind.Deep Value Insight: Breaks aren’t a sign of weakness; they’re essential for mental clarity and creativity. When you return, you’ll be more focused and better equipped to tackle the challenges ahead.

Bold Note: Taking a break isn’t quitting—it’s a strategic pause to gather strength and perspective.

Prioritize and Triage Your Tasks

When problems pile up, it can be hard to know where to start.

• Make a list of the issues: wholesale order errors, shipping rate increases, live selling anxiety, printer malfunctions, and custom project delays.

• Prioritize: Identify what needs immediate attention versus what can wait. Focus on one problem at a time.

Actionable Tip: Use a simple prioritization method like the Eisenhower Matrix. Categorize tasks into urgent, important, less urgent, and not important.

Deep Value Insight: Breaking down your challenges into manageable chunks makes them less daunting and helps you take actionable steps without feeling overwhelmed.

Bold Note: Focus on what you can control right now. One step at a time is all you need to move forward.

Delegate and Seek Help

You don’t have to do everything alone.

• Delegate: If you’re struggling to keep up, consider outsourcing tasks like troubleshooting your printer or managing live selling sessions.

• Seek Support: Talk to someone who understands your business—this might be a mentor, a fellow handmade seller, or even your team. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can make all the difference.

Actionable Tip: Make a list of tasks you can delegate. Even if it means hiring a virtual assistant temporarily, freeing up your time can help you focus on critical issues.

Deep Value Insight: Collaboration and delegation not only lighten your load but also build a stronger, more resilient business. Remember, it takes a village to build a dream.

Bold Note: Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Lean on your community to get through tough times.

Revisit Your Systems and Processes

When chaos reigns, inefficiencies become glaringly obvious.

• Review your order processing, shipping, and production workflows.

• Identify where mistakes occurred—like the flip-flopped labels—and determine how to prevent them in the future.

Actionable Tip: Conduct a quick audit of your systems. Create a checklist for each process and update your standard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid recurring issues.

Deep Value Insight: Fine-tuning your processes not only reduces stress but also improves overall efficiency, ensuring that your handmade business can scale sustainably even on tough days.

Bold Note: A well-organized system is your safety net—invest time now to save stress later.

Embrace a Growth Mindset

It’s easy to let negative self-talk and fear paralyze you. But remember: everything you want lies on the other side of fear.

• Instead of dwelling on mistakes, view them as learning opportunities.

• Embrace a growth mindset that focuses on progress rather than perfection.

Actionable Tip: Write down one thing you learned from today’s challenges. Use it as a stepping stone to improve your process and boost your confidence.

Deep Value Insight: Every setback is an opportunity to grow. When you shift your focus from failure to learning, you empower yourself to overcome future obstacles.

Bold Note: Your resilience is built one lesson at a time. Every challenge is a chance to come back stronger.

Reignite Your Passion

Amid all the chaos, never forget why you started this journey.

• Reflect: Take a moment to remember what inspired you to launch your handmade business.

• Celebrate: Look back at your successes, big and small. Every sale, every positive review, every satisfied customer is a testament to your creativity and hard work.

Actionable Tip: Create a “success board” in your workspace where you post your achievements and customer testimonials. This visual reminder can be a powerful motivator on tough days.

Deep Value Insight: Passion is the fuel that keeps you going. When you reconnect with your “why,” you gain the strength to push through even the darkest moments.

Bold Note: Your creative journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Celebrate every milestone along the way.

Take Action: Your Next Steps

Even when it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, remember that taking action—even small steps—can turn things around. Here are your actionable next steps:

1. Take a Break: Step away, breathe, and recharge.

2. Prioritize Tasks: Tackle issues one at a time using a prioritization method.

3. Delegate: Identify tasks you can outsource and lean on your community for support.

4. Audit Systems: Review your workflows, update SOPs, and implement new processes where needed.

5. Reflect and Learn: Write down lessons learned and use them to fuel your growth.

6. Reconnect with Your Passion: Create a success board to remind you why you do what you do.

Bold Final Note: Every action you take, no matter how small, is a step forward. Your journey is uniquely yours, and the challenges you face today will pave the way for tomorrow’s success. Embrace the chaos, learn from it, and let your passion shine through.

On days when you feel like quitting, the best remedy is to take a step back, prioritize, and remember that everything you want lies on the other side of fear.

• Focus on actionable steps: Take breaks, delegate tasks, refine your systems, and embrace a growth mindset.

• Reconnect with your passion: Celebrate your successes and keep pushing forward, no matter how tough it gets.

  
  

Today, I'm hitting pause. I'm pushing all the work and the pesky printer off until Monday, leaving the warehouse early, and heading out for dinner with my husband. And —I’m treating myself to a martini, or maybe even two. Happy Valentine's Day, my handmade friends. Enjoy the love and a little self-care. ❤️ Your handmade business is a testament to your creativity and resilience. Every setback is a learning opportunity, and every challenge is a chance to grow. So, if today feels overwhelming, like mine, take a deep breath, implement these strategies, and keep moving forward.

xoxox

Cheri

Happy creating, stay bold, and remember: even on your toughest days, you’re building something truly amazing.