I changed the title of this series to "Focus on My Mental Health" as it doesn't really touch on mental health in general, but my own personal journey as I have gone from being a miserable human being in a job that was destroying my mental health - to a human being that is miserable from the inability to find a job that can bring me back to a healthy mental state once again. I've been still doing the job of working on my stock for my craft booth, and now too my website, but the fact that I haven't actually sold anything means it's not an actual job yet. If I had a following before this point, if someone had seen my paintings all of these years ago and said "you should sell these" and then started throwing money at me, maybe I could have already sold stuff by now. So, it feels rather hollow, even though I had promised myself that I was merely starting on stocking the table first.
My mental state is fairly low today, just as it has been since this last week. I started off in this place of "I don't really want to get a job here, but I'll do it so I can have a job and maybe I'll like it eventually" a week ago today. I'd just had a telephone interview that sounded really positive, except for a couple little hints that were dropped that sounded to me at the time like maybe I wouldn't hear right away because someone was out of the office. But I was assured I'd hear by the end of the week.
But I didn't hear by the end of the week. And if I were in a better place, I think I would have called or emailed and said, "hey, what's the verdict?" But when I start to open up that email to do so, I start to get anxious and remember that I really didn't want to work there. I balance back and forth between feeling depressed that yet another job doesn't want me, but also feeling like it gives me a chance to find the right job.
I know it's only been two months, but it feels like it's been so much longer.
---------------
Took a quick break from writing and switched over to some more crafting instead. To be completely honest with myself, and with whomever is actually reading this (the one or two people I notice have "viewed" this site from time to time) - I was really excited about my "business" when I started it a few weeks ago. I've started pouring my time and effort into creating a profile, a website, an email address, a facebook page, and a store. I started getting people interested in it, started getting likes and follows. I started to get interest in things and that was pretty exciting for me.
Then I got a "review" which was basically to say "copied but cute things" (to paraphrase) and even though someone was nice enough to recommend my page to someone else, the way they did it was kind of discouraging. I pressed forward, told myself, that yes they are a bit "copied" but only in that when it starts getting harder to find things like it from China for this cheap (what with the tariffs) people will start buying things from me... right? And maybe the kitschy retro stuff will be popular?
But the review has stuck with me, and I guess in a way that's started to push me to start doing other unique things or at least learning new painting techniques. But in the back of my mind I keep thinking "why would anyone want to buy something from me? What makes these things unique?"
My answer is - they aren't. There isn't a reason. That's why they haven't bought anything yet.
So, that's the reason why I'm depressed about this business endeavor. But it's all I've got. I keep telling myself that I need to work on my job applications, update my resume, do something to get a new job. But then I pull up those job listings and tears spring to my eyes and this crushing anxiety just hits me. I stare at the screen, I scroll the listings for a minute, then I close the browser because I can't look at it anymore.
And I get these emails from the state because I had applied for unemployment, but I haven't gotten a dime and have absolutely no idea if I'm even going to get anything, so it feels rather worthless to be filling out the paperwork for no reason.
If I had any leads at all, then maybe I'd feel better. But instead, I sit here with no purpose, wondering why I'm here. I'm miserable as the stupid neighbors bounce balls non-stop, drive stupid mini-bikes up and down the block for HOURS and I can't work in my garden because I can't have any fucking peace and quiet here.
And I can't leave because I have no jobs to get away from it.
I just want to cry.
No comments:
Post a Comment