The Kat Life

how I'm choosing to live my best life

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Katherine Moon
Katherine Isabella Moon
Meow, hello there, my name is Katherine, but you can call me Kat; because I basically am a cat. Anyways, I am a 26-year-old, lifestyle blogger, with an INFP-T personality type, from the United States. I love fashion, the color pink, cats, dogs, and spending all my time on my computer. I'm often seen wearing cat ears headbands.
The Kat Life
The Kat Life

how I'm choosing to live my best life

Sunday, March 31, 2019

When Something You Love Stresses You Out

Photo courtesy of Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Can I just say that some of my hobbies and interests can be absolutely frustrating sometimes?! Especially since I tend to gravitate towards things that not only require a lot of creativity, but also a lot of focus; as well as attention to detail. Not to mention, I don't really have any formal training in any of my hobbies or interests, and Google and/or YouTube tutorials are my only real helpers in a lot of cases. So when something doesn't go right, and I still can't figure it out after hours of Googling, or sometimes not even knowing exactly what to type for my Google search, it can get really stressful, really quickly. Even when it's not something that I have to do, but just want to do. 

If you're a creator, and especially if you're a coder (or you're working with technology in general), you definitely know what I'm talking about. Really though, any hobby that requires a lot of focus or skill can get rather stressful; especially when you're pretty much on your own when it comes to troubleshooting problems. Or simply getting it just right, and up to your standards; even when it's something you're doing just because you enjoy it, and not as a job. I've personally found myself getting rather tense over my own personal projects on multiple occasions, often to the point where I'd feel the tension in my body. Sometimes I'll even become moody and snappy over something that I usually enjoy doing. 

And if you're anything like me, when you're super passionate about something, quitting is not an option. Even if the process is currently making you want to rip your hair out.


Photo courtesy of Emma Matthews on Unsplash


Honestly, I don't think that the frustration that comes with learning a new skill or taking up a new hobby is a bad thing. Personally, that frustration pushes me to become better at what I'm doing and serves as a reminder to never stop learning and getting better, regardless of how good I may be at it (or think I am at it); it's super important to remember that there is always room for improvement! The way I react to the frustration or stress also tells me a lot about how passionate I really am about whatever it is I'm doing. When I'm not that passionate about something, I tend to either half-ass it or I just throw in the towel completely; because why waste time on something I don't care that much about if I don't have to? But when I am passionate about it, I'll do whatever it takes to get it right, regardless of how frustrating it may be. 

But the thing is when I start to get too frustrated and stressed, I start losing focus and it becomes even harder to figure out whatever it may be that I'm trying to figure out. I may also start losing passion for the project, and start half-assing it, frustrating myself even further that it isn't up to my standards. It's truly a vicious cycle, and yet I'm too passionate to just throw in the towel. So what can be done about it? 




Know that it's okay to take breaks!


Photo courtesy of Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash

Honestly, the first thing you should do when you start feeling a bit too tense is just step away for a moment and take a break. It doesn't necessarily have to be a very long one, but seriously, just stepping away for at least 5-10 minutes often makes the biggest difference to me. I usually like to take this time to take a few deep breaths (which really can make a difference, believe it or not), get a glass of water or maybe a snack, and maybe play a couple quick games on my iPad, or read some blog posts. Whatever you choose to do for your break is completely up to you, just as long as it isn't stressful.

Sometimes I find that taking a break is easier said than done; but typically when I'm super stressed out to the point that I can't focus, I'm not really being all that productive anyway. So it's better for me to just consciously take a break, rather than keep stressing; and come back to it later when I'm not feeling as tense.



Figure out if anything else may be contributing to your frustration or stress


Photo courtesy of Mink Mingle on Unsplash

While something not going or working quite the way you want it to can be very frustrating or stressful on its own, there may be other factors contributing to how stressed or frustrated you may be feeling. Any emotional distress caused by work, family, friends, partners, or life, in general, can definitely contribute even more to your frustration; but it's not always just emotional factors. More often than not, I find that when I start to get super frustrated or stressed out, it's often because I've been so focused on what I'm working on that I've lost track of time; or straight up ignored my own needs. Another reason why taking breaks is really important. 

More often than not, I find that I get frustrated easier or more quickly when I'm working on something late at night when it's close to bedtime (or past my bedtime), or when I've slept poorly the night before. I also tend to get snappy or impatient when I'm hungry, haven't had enough water, or when I've been sitting all day without really getting up and moving much. And let's not forget when it's that time of the month, and PMS is making me moody as it is. 



Work on another part of what you're doing, and come back to the frustrating part later


Photo courtesy of Ella Jardim on Unsplash

If there's no reason you have to do things in a certain order, sometimes just moving on to the next part, and saving the part you're struggling with to come back to later is the best option. This allows you to keep working and being productive, without feeling like you've hit a wall and you're stuck. You may sometimes even find the solution as you're working through another part of your project! But even if you don't figure it out in another step, at the very least, you'll at least feel like you don't have nearly as much to do when you begin working on the frustrating part again.



Some of the activities you love may definitely be a challenge, and have their frustrating moments; especially if you're self-taught, and even more so if you've recently taken it up. But I imagine that sometimes even those with formal training, and even the pros have those moments where things just don't go right or get frustrating, as bad days just happen sometimes. Heck, sometimes the tools or equipment you're working with is having a moment, especially if you're working on a computer since they do have their slow days (which also stresses me out, haha). Whatever the case, just try to be patient with yourself and with the process; and don't be afraid to step away for a little while to clear your head.
Thank you for reading, and I hope the rest of your day is wonderful!
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2 comments

  1. I LOVE YOUR NEW THEME!

    IT LOOKS SO PRETTY XX !

    Mari ♡ illustrious-mari.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much!! I'm still working on the details and adding a few things, but I like it so far!! I'm glad you like it! :)

      Delete

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