Alexis Dawes

I needed these past 3 months like fish need water.

Like Romeo needed Juliet, or like chocolate chip cookies need milk.

Seriously.

I didn’t realize it, but I was tettering on the edge of a mental burnout.

I came to this conclusion when I started my vacation, and my brain immediately shut off. Click… done.

During this time I had absolutely no desire to work. And even though I had a pile of ’stuff,’ my brain just wouldn’t allow me to work on any of it.

I couldn’t write. I didn’t want to read anything remotely related to work. And I actually felt guilty for feeling this way.

I’ve never had this happen before. Normally I’m raring to get back to work DURING my vacations. Not this time though.

All I can say is thank goodness for a profitable summer that permitted me to sit on my arse - (mainly healing from my dislocated kneecap) - and not have to think about anything. My brain feels like it took an enema. (Not to be gross, but you understand the metaphor.)

I’m so refreshed now. Still on vacation. But I’m working at an optimum level. I feel inspired. I guess that’s why I’ve been blogging like I’ve never blogged before.

How I Turned Mental Burnout Into a Mental Breakthrough

When possums are in danger of becoming some animals lunch, they will fall onto their backs, get stiff, and play dead. Predatory animals want to kill their prey. So when they see the dead possum, they move on.

Mental burnout is like your brain playing possum.

They’re often a signal that something in your writers life isn’t working. So your brain shuts off, and plays dead.

It’s up to you to distance yourself from the ‘danger,’ so your brain will wake up again.

Here are some things that I did to re-energize–

* Browsed around the biggest library in town. I had no real mission, except I forced myself to choose those books that I’d like to read for pleasure. So I read a bunch of crafting books. And I freakin’ loved it. I’m so into the DIY movement now. And I saw so many holes that were ripe for a sharp e-book writer like me.

* Stopped buying books to grow my business, and instead watched television. Normally I think television is a collosal waste of time. But during my mental burnout I realized that you can learn A LOT about human psychology by watching talk shows like Oprah and Dr. Phil. I culled many e-book ideas (based on my Desperate Buyers Only formula) by listening to people bare their souls.

* Got mentally engrossed in new hobbies. I learned to sew and do hand embroidery. The change in focus - even for a short period of time - helped me clear my mind of previous issues. Things that I thought were so important really weren’t. This gave me an entirely new perspective about the way I run my business.

Surpringly just as easily as I slipped into brain lockdown, I slipped right out.

One morning I woke up, looked at my idea books, and got back to work.

The sewing machine is now collecting dust. The television basically stays off. They’ve served my purpose so I can continue serving mine.

And in the end, that’s all that matters.

Chill out and grow rich,

Alexis Dawes