avoiding the Q4 crash out: part I
anti-crash out tips, overcoming 'voice block', and the path I took to re-discover myself
getting back to me
It’s been two years of being a full-time content creator, and I finally feel like I am getting the hang of video voiceovers. I used to love yapping about fashion history and design culture when I first started on TikTok, but for the past year, it’s been tough to use my voice the way I used to. Spiritually, you could say my throat chakra has been blocked.
This voice block was connected to a lot of factors in my personal life: complex trauma, processing my anxiety, and major healing. As a result of this process, I had to slow down a lot of creative work for the past year. At first, I even resented myself for not operating at my usual level: 50+ hour weeks, flying out every other week, styling campaigns, video editing, filming content, and working on-set as much as possible.
Now that I am coming out of this creative rut, I am learning to give myself grace because this calm period had to happen so that my nervous system could regulate. As creatives, we have unlimited access to concepts, but all the best original ideas in the world could fall flat if the vessel executing those concepts is suffering. A recent example is Bella Hadid’s return to the runway with YSL (PFW SS25).
Putting some of my pre-med knowledge to use [you’re welcome, Haitian parents], the best analogy I could compare my creativity to is a muscle. Your craft as a creative, in my case, directing and writing visual concepts, becomes stronger the more you flex it. On the other end, a malnourished body without nutrients stunts muscle growth.
nyc creator life
Honestly, it was hard to adjust to this sporadic freelance lifestyle as a creator. I was used to structure, commuting to the office, days filled with meetings, etc. As a result of this autonomy that I worked so hard to achieve, some of my routines fell apart. With all the events in NYC, I found myself going out more, which meant drinking a lot, being overwhelmed with chronically being online, giving into trends, and overall spending less time exploring my niche interests in fashion, film, and art.
While I am constantly working through content ideas and scenes, I’m now more aware of mental and physical health. I learned through difficult scenarios, sometimes even on the job, that creating with an uneasy mindset can make the work suffer.
anti-crash out hacks + tools
Building healthier habits is the best way to get your life together. Getting back to myself first meant hacking my daily routine. It takes 21 days to build a habit but 75 days to develop mental strength and a new sense of discipline. The 75-hard, started by Andy Frisella, has taken over TikTok in the form of Fitness, Style, and Financial challenges. Also, committing to a class or even a personal pact, like voluntary sobriety, holds you accountable for change.
Societal challenges and trends are fleeting, and sometimes tools found on your phone or in your bag are quick hacks you can access right away. I’m always telling friends to “write that down,” I have several notebooks around my home: a personalized notebook by Papier for creative ideas, one for ‘to-dos,’ and another for journaling. I encourage everyone to go to therapy in the form that suits you. Writing your feelings down is a simple form of therapy, and I love a guided journal like the Better Everyday Journal by Inside Then Out.
The second hack is revamping your image, both the superficial and perceived sense of self. Part of this meant an improved maintenance routine, but another piece was rewiring my brain. The main path in my “come back better” journey has been heavily investing back into myself: my physical, spiritual, and mental health.
more on that in Part II…
about this publication
standing on business is a brainchild born out of need and accountability. I grew up in the blog era of the internet, and I miss sharing my ideas through write-ups. This publication will be like an advice column, creative prompt, and introspective newsletter all rolled into one. No ChatGPT here.
As the end of the year slowly approaches, avoiding the Q4 crash out is a mini newsletter series that I plan on sharing on a bi-weekly basis into the holidays. In Part II, I plan to discuss how investing in my image has also helped with my work-life balance.
P.S. - If you are reading this as a member of the gifting circle, welcome friends. ICYMI, the gifting circle, is a rolling giveaway that I share with the close-knit community I cultivated on Instagram. Those in the circle are added to my Close Friends, where I share potential gifting opportunities and early visual concepts. This newsletter will also serve as a place for giveaway updates, questions, and discussion.
If any of the thoughts above resonated with you, please feel free to share or reach out to me directly via IG or email by just replying to this thread. I would also love to know if you have ever felt the same way when it comes to a creative rut. In the meantime, you can find me on socials. I have been posting a lot of lost fashion month files and beauty content.
And as always, thank you for your support♡
P.
Love this! Can't wait to see what standing on business becomes!