The subject of emotions is a complex and multidimensional one. Emotions shape our attitudes and habits; they are reflected in our decisions. I don’t think it’s possible to completely separate personal and professional life – what we experience privately will affect our professional sphere, and vice versa. Professional burnout may not always have its root in work.

I believe that being attentive to one’s emotions helps us recognize the scripts and scenarios we live by – ones that may no longer serve us. Let’s try to address the unresolved and heal the hurt. This way, we are more likely to build mental resilience that will benefit us in every area of life.

I’ve come to recognize what contributed to my burnout, which was laced with depressive episodes. In this context, therapy is gold – not easy, but valuable work with what needs healing.
I manifested (writing about it in the past tense, somewhat conjuring up reality) a set of traits that consistently dragged me down. Not just recently – this has been present for most of my life.

Let’s start with perfectionism. Perfectionism is EVIL 🙂

How many ideas have I not implemented because they didn’t seem good enough? How many proposals have I withheld, thinking it wasn’t the right time or that I wasn’t ready? How many hours have I spent perfecting things that weren’t crucial to my business?
On top of that, I served myself a heavy dose of criticism, belittled my achievements, celebrated them only briefly – if at all – because it could always be better. I also assumed I should know everything and have everything under control – even the things we usually have no control over 😉
When I made a mistake, I deeply resented it.
Perfectionism is an effective brake on growth in both business and creativity. I know artists who can’t finish their work because they keep making endless corrections. And even when they finally add the final touch, they still feel like something more should be done.

Perfectionism probably has its brighter side. For me, it means great organization, commitment to quality, diligence, and a strong sense of responsibility. But, as we all know, even the best traits can become harmful when overdone.

Comparing yourself to others.

Disastrous. Focusing on your competitors limits your growth. I might even say that the longer you’re in the market and the more established your brand becomes, the less you compare yourself to others – or at least you get the opportunity not to.
Comparison usually “gets me” when things aren’t going well. I feel like everyone else is thriving while I’m the only one struggling. Social media only reinforces these impressions.
You probably know the feeling.

Now imagine experiencing burnout – a complete low point – and then seeing others’ success stories online. You sink even deeper.
Shifting your focus inward and taking care of yourself in those moments is crucial. But also difficult. In my case, I not only tried to reduce social media scrolling but also limited real-life contact. I stopped showing up in places where I was once regularly seen, especially in photographic contexts. I just didn’t have the inner space for it.

Self-confidence and low self-esteem.

Often influenced by a lack of assertiveness, difficulty in negotiation, and the tendency to seek approval rather than protect your own interests. These traits manifest in the belief that expressing your needs is wrong, in the fear of being judged or rejected. For example, you might be afraid a client won’t accept your offer and will go elsewhere, so you agree to poor terms and act against yourself… but the bitterness remains.

These traits make starting a career even harder – and I had them. Over time, through work experience and inner work, it’s worth addressing them. Running a business – especially one that’s close to your heart – is hard when you don’t believe in yourself.
These traits are tricky. Even years later, when I felt I had both feet on the ground, they reappeared the moment tougher times came – financial downturns, poor mental wellbeing.
At such moments, I try to focus on hard facts: my achievements, experience, and the quality of what I create. And if that doesn’t help – I call my best friend. She’ll remind me of what I’ve done, and she won’t sugar-coat it.

Frustration and disappointment.

These emotions significantly contribute to burnout. They are responses to prolonged stress, unmet expectations, and a lack of satisfaction. One has to accept that failures will happen. You may feel that despite all your effort, the reward never comes. And since creators often have a deeply personal relationship with their work, growing irritation, a sense of helplessness, and a loss of motivation are only a matter of time.
This is part of my story, too. I still haven’t figured out how to fully embrace these emotions. They played a major role in my burnout, and I still carry them in my emotional toolbox.

Anxiety.

It’s both a cause and a symptom of burnout – a vicious cycle. In my case, anxiety made me constantly alert, living life on a tightrope. It resulted in chronic stress and fatigue.
The uncertainty and instability of freelance work seem inherent to the model. It’s not only about whether there will be assignments, but also about how insecure the jdg system feels – especially for small makers, artisans, and creatives who don’t scale their business but rely on what they produce and sell.
Anxiety is also linked to perfectionism. The relentless pursuit of perfection, combined with fear of failure, increases the risk of emotional exhaustion.

In recent years, my anxiety and insecurity have become very intense. This was due to an anxious attachment style in relationships, the instability of the jdg system, my inability to detach from the flood of external stimuli and news – more on that later.
Even though I turned to nature, deep breathing, exercise, and other self-care tools, I feel I crossed a threshold – a critical boundary of long-term anxiety – beyond which I could no longer cope. This remains a work-in-progress.

Courage.

Courage means setting boundaries, saying “no,” expressing your needs, asking for help, and making decisions – even when they might be uncomfortable for others.

Now let’s juxtapose these traits with traditional girls’ upbringing… These limitations are deeply embedded in many of us. Overcoming them takes awareness and a lot of inner work.

All my life, I’ve been overly independent, prioritizing others’ needs over my own – even when I thought I wasn’t doing that.
Assertiveness and boundary-setting – that’s a whole separate topic. It’s incredibly important in life and business. I haven’t always protected my business properly, and I can easily point to situations where I allowed too much. If I still remember them, I probably haven’t fully let them go.

I highly recommend freelancers work on your courage. Not only the courage to say “no” (e.g., refusing to deliver something the morning after a client calls in the evening), but also the courage to:
– decline poorly paid projects or those beyond your time/energy limits
– take breaks and holidays without guilt – treating rest as part of work, not a luxury
– change direction when necessary – leaving draining projects or transforming your work model
– ask for help and support – before it’s too late, through mentoring, therapy, or peer networks

The last few years weren’t only about difficult emotions and struggles. Empowering feelings, joy, and pleasure were also present.
But whenever a downturn came – and they have come regularly – I often entered a kind of stasis. I would endure the crisis in silence. I might have done something externally, taken a step or two, but I didn’t really address the root of the issue. I didn’t search for the core or work with it thoroughly.
And as you probably know – if you skip your homework, life will give it to you again. The context, people, or tools may change, but the lesson remains the same.

May 2025

Articles in this series can be found under the category “burnout in freelancing”.