I Took a 6-Week Break (here’s what I learned)
09/20/21 • 22 min
“I want to learn how to be happier with exactly what I have.”
- Shinah
I have a bit of an update for you this week. I was hit by a pick-up truck while cycling on vacation recently — yes, I was wearing a helmet. Yes, physically, I’m okay.
This episode isn’t about my physical injuries.
It’s about the emotional impact of major events. (And yes, there are valuable lessons in this episode!)
The years of 2020 and 2021 have been anything but uneventful. And almost 2 years worth of crisis after crisis, ongoing stress, and massive uncertainty... that leaves an emotional mark.
The impact of these years, the passing of my 40th birthday, topped off with the emotional aftermath of my accident... I’m not ashamed to say that it led me to a total emotional meltdown.
I had zero motivation to do anything. Especially not for my business.
I needed to hit pause and process everything.
I stopped showing up on Instagram. I stopped working on building my business. I let my team take the reins and I just let myself take a break. And I’m here to tell you — when you’ve spent your whole life focused on productivity, taking that time off is HARD.
But it’s also SO necessary, sometimes.
Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to find out:
- The 3 most important lessons I learned from allowing myself to just rest
- Why you should wait until after you’ve recovered from burnout before making big decisions
- Why it’s important to step back occasionally as a leader — and what you (and your team) will gain
Highlights:
00:33 Intro & update
03:10 Impacts of 2020 & 2021
04:19 The meltdown & pause
05:40 The business break
07:55 Learn how to be happier
10:07 Don’t burn it all down!
11:36 Treat yourself better
12:37 Stepping back as a leader
14:10 No one right way
16:24 Recap
Links:
Learn calligraphy with me: www.freecalligraphyworkshop.com
Follow me!
Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
Facebook: facebook.com/crookedcalligraphy
Show notes can be found at theshinahshow.com
Watch these episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJJZS9jYDmzePAnaGDiFuw
Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!
FREE WORKSHOP:
- “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop
FOLLOW SHINAH:
- Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
SUBSCRIBE:
- Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!
“I want to learn how to be happier with exactly what I have.”
- Shinah
I have a bit of an update for you this week. I was hit by a pick-up truck while cycling on vacation recently — yes, I was wearing a helmet. Yes, physically, I’m okay.
This episode isn’t about my physical injuries.
It’s about the emotional impact of major events. (And yes, there are valuable lessons in this episode!)
The years of 2020 and 2021 have been anything but uneventful. And almost 2 years worth of crisis after crisis, ongoing stress, and massive uncertainty... that leaves an emotional mark.
The impact of these years, the passing of my 40th birthday, topped off with the emotional aftermath of my accident... I’m not ashamed to say that it led me to a total emotional meltdown.
I had zero motivation to do anything. Especially not for my business.
I needed to hit pause and process everything.
I stopped showing up on Instagram. I stopped working on building my business. I let my team take the reins and I just let myself take a break. And I’m here to tell you — when you’ve spent your whole life focused on productivity, taking that time off is HARD.
But it’s also SO necessary, sometimes.
Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to find out:
- The 3 most important lessons I learned from allowing myself to just rest
- Why you should wait until after you’ve recovered from burnout before making big decisions
- Why it’s important to step back occasionally as a leader — and what you (and your team) will gain
Highlights:
00:33 Intro & update
03:10 Impacts of 2020 & 2021
04:19 The meltdown & pause
05:40 The business break
07:55 Learn how to be happier
10:07 Don’t burn it all down!
11:36 Treat yourself better
12:37 Stepping back as a leader
14:10 No one right way
16:24 Recap
Links:
Learn calligraphy with me: www.freecalligraphyworkshop.com
Follow me!
Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
Facebook: facebook.com/crookedcalligraphy
Show notes can be found at theshinahshow.com
Watch these episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJJZS9jYDmzePAnaGDiFuw
Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!
FREE WORKSHOP:
- “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop
FOLLOW SHINAH:
- Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
SUBSCRIBE:
- Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!
Previous Episode
More Practice Is Not The Answer
“There’s definitely a learning curve with pointed pen calligraphy... and that doesn’t mean that you’re not talented or artistic enough or creative enough!”
- Shinah
It’s that time of year again — time for my 5-day, Pointed Pen Calligraphy Basics Challenge!
In this challenge, you get the low-down on exactly what tools to buy plus a FREE calligraphy lesson every day to get you comfortable with the basics. You also get access to a super-secret pop-up Facebook group where you can meet your fellow students and access resources. It’s like a party with pens, and it’s a LOT of fun!
I only offer this twice a year, so you won’t want to miss out!
I’m so sure that you’re going to love this challenge that I want to give you a taste of what to expect. In this episode of The Shinah Show, I share a few juicy little snippets from the live chats that I’ve done with participants of past challenges.
These chats aren’t just about how to form your letters or hold your pen (although we definitely cover those, too).
You’ll hear about the challenges I faced when I first started doing calligraphy.
You’ll learn what being a parent and learning calligraphy have in common.
And you’ll discover how you might be sabotaging your own efforts (and how to strengthen your skills instead)!
Check out the episode and then sign up for the challenge!
Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to learn:
- Why you need to be patient and kind to yourself when you first start a new skill (especially calligraphy)
- Effective and ineffective ways of practicing your letters
- My own personal calligraphy journey (and why I love it SO much more than law)!
Highlights:
00:00 Pointed Pen Calligraphy Basics Challenge
01:56 Intro
03:42 Leaving law
06:23 My calligraphy journey
09:15 Practice makes permanent
13:02 How calligraphy progresses
17:46 Recap
Links:
Pointed Pen Calligraphy Basics Challenge: www.crookedcalligraphy.com/basics
Follow me!
Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
Facebook: facebook.com/crookedcalligraphy
Show notes can be found at theshinahshow.com
Watch these episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJJZS9jYDmzePAnaGDiFuw
Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!
FREE WORKSHOP:
- “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop
FOLLOW SHINAH:
- Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
SUBSCRIBE:
- Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!
Next Episode
Calligraphy Myths That Aren’t True
“I actually think of calligraphy not as handwriting, but more as drawing.”
- Shinah
It’s time to bust some calligraphy myths!
I know there are a lot of people out there, right now, who LOVE to follow calligraphers on Instagram and dream about having the skill to create beautiful invitations, greeting cards, or shop signs — but are afraid to pick up a pen themselves because they’ve heard and believed a misleading myth about calligraphy.
I know this, because they reach out to me via email, DMs, and in person to explain that they’re curious to try it, but feel like they’ll be a failure because of [INSERT MYTH HERE].
I’m going to tell you right now: don’t believe what you’ve heard!
These myths have no bearing on how quickly or successfully you’ll pick up the skill.
For example, you definitely do not need to have great handwriting in order to write beautiful calligraphy — they’re two completely different skills! Full disclosure: my handwriting is not great. So please don’t let this myth hold you back from picking up a pointed pen and following your dream.
In this episode, I bust five of the biggest myths that keep people from trying calligraphy. So if you’re curious but have been hesitating... then this episode is for you!
Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to find out:
- Why you shouldn’t be intimidated by calligraphy’s long history and stodgy background
- You do NOT have to be right-handed to become a skilled calligrapher!
- Why calligraphy is not cursive writing — and how it’s actually closer to illustration!
Highlights:
00:32 Intro
01:39 Good handwriting not required!
04:58 Calligraphy isn’t old-fashioned
07:16 It takes less time than you think!
10:21 Modern Calligraphy 101
11:00 Southpaws welcome!
14:54 Calligraphy is in demand
18:23 Your brain will hold you back
20:17 Believe in yourself
Links:
Modern Calligraphy 101: https://moderncalligraphy101.com
Learn calligraphy with me: www.freecalligraphyworkshop.com
Follow me!
Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
Facebook: facebook.com/crookedcalligraphy
Show notes can be found at theshinahshow.com
Watch these episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJJZS9jYDmzePAnaGDiFuw
Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!
FREE WORKSHOP:
- “How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop
FOLLOW SHINAH:
- Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy
SUBSCRIBE:
- Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!
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