pursue your dreams: leah sherwin

Pursue Your Dreams is a weekly mini-series brought to you by a handful of talented handmade artists, bloggers, small business owners, and ladies who are chasing hard after their dreams. The series focuses on 3 insights they've learned about staying inspired, dealing with negativity, business tips, blogging, setting goals, marketing yourself, and more!

Hi, everyone! I'm Leah Sherwin and I wanted to stop by and share with you three things I've learned about dealing with setbacks when pursuing your dreams. When I graduated from college, I ended up in a job that I absolutely hated. It taught me a lot, though, and because of it I was determined to pursue the things I was really passionate about (and somehow find a way to make a living doing it!) My husband gave me a lot of encouragement, so with his support, I left my career life in the corporate world and started working at home pursuing my passion for writing novels. It definitely wasn't easy. Being a self-published author these days is more difficult than you'd ever imagine. While working on my books and getting some of them out onto the internet "shelves", I also took on several freelance projects as an independent contractor.

As you'd imagine, things weren't all sunshine and rainbows. Being your own boss is HARD work. I soon felt the sting of bad reviews on my books, poor pay, and long, long hours. Because of my anxious personality, I was bogged down and depressed more than once. Negativity ran rampant in my mind. Such an experience can be very formative, however, if you lean into it. Thankfully, things did turn up and my contracting work took off, allowing my husband and I to worry less about money, but also giving me less time to write. It's all about balance, though. I work hard at my contract work (since it pays the bills) and I write whenever I can (because it's still a passion). Here are the bits of wisdom I gleaned about dealing with negativity while working hard on pursuing what you love:

1 // Tune Out the Bad Reviews
Bad reviews or bad feedback can be both a blessing and curse. Yes, they can help you see that you have areas for improvement, but for the most part they serve only to make you feel bad about yourself. Don't get me wrong, though; constructive criticism is essential and helpful for your work. BUT! Dwelling forever on bad reviews will only make you batty and give you a grumbly attitude. I say, tune them out altogether. Don't read those 1 star reviews or that scathing email from someone who likely won't remember you in a week. It's more than just developing a thick skin. Don't let those bad reviews touch your skin in the first place. If you MUST read them, approach them with a detached mindfulness. Observe them, observe your feelings on the subject, and LET. THEM. GO. Move on.

2 // Cultivate An Attitude of Gratitude
It's a bit cheesy sounding, I know, but living life with a thankful heart will turn MANY a bad day into one that gives you peace of mind. I try to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness in my daily life by constantly letting God know about the things that make me say, "thankyouthankyouthankyou!" and about the things that spark a sense of beauty or other positive emotions. Every day is a challenge, but EVERY day there is something to be thankful for. If your work has been bogging you down and your dreams are looking dimmer by the minute, sit down and take out a special journal and pen. Write down at least 10 things that you're thankful for when it comes to pursuing your dreams. Be specific. By the end of your list, you'll probably feel all warm and fuzzy inside and remember that you're pursuing your dreams for a reason!

3 // Nurture Other Hobbies
When we creative types go full boar into pursuing our dreams, it can be hard to nurture our other passions--you know, the ones that we aren't thinking about 24/7 or trying to support ourselves with. Every week, I attend at least 4 martial arts classes. I don't get paid to do these classes, you understand. I do them because I love them, they provide me with a social, physical, and mental outlet. When I've had a particularly trying workweek, I consistently (ALWAYS) feel better after a hapkido lesson. Nurturing other hobbies like art, music, physical exercise, etc., can help you to take a complete break from the passions you are pursuing while allowing yourself to stay engaged in your life. Be present and mindful while participating in your other activities. When you are done painting, or walking, or kicking through boards, you'll have plenty of tranquility and/or energy about you. Things probably won't look so bleak as they did when you took a break to spend time on another hobby.

Negativity can't survive when you consistently put effort into letting the bad things go, cultivating thankfulness, and nurturing all the things that bring you joy. I hope this list was helpful for you! Thank you, Jenny, for having me on your blog today!

Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us, Leah! Be sure to visit her blog if you haven't already and join us next week for more inspirational insights. :)