There's a saying in the comics community, 'you should only make comics using about 60% of your actual skill.' The reason for this is that comics are HARD to make and take a LONG time and if you're giving 100% all the time, you'll burn out fast. I think the same is true for life.
So just like we now know to guard our 'yes', also it's a good idea to guard your 'best'. Save your energy for what matters. I can't help but think of how many employers want their employees to give 110%!!!!! while only paying them minimum wage. It's bullshit lol
I think 'just keep trying your best' sounds like it's a nice thing to say, and I'm definitely overthinking it but, I think we all deserve compassion even if we're not giving it our all. I don't think our first response when comforting someone should be to try and motivate them.
I'm so tired of women in comics having to fight tooth and nail for scraps, only for the men in charge to pull the rug out from under us time and time again. 'You made too much of a fuss, now no-one can have anything!!!'
I'm also tired of women and other marginalised folks being the ones to lift each other up, recommend each other for opportunities and try and create spaces where we are heard, only to Still be denied access and passed over for white men. I want so much better for all of us.
It's just SO frustrating when we're literally out here like 'hey please include women on this panel about how to write female characters' and the organisers rage quit and the male panellists who took up our space are SILENT. They're not our allies.
It's SO tempting for me to put stuff off because I think I'll be able to face it later, but most of the time I'm wrong and I just end up in a horrible cycle until whatever the thing is becomes urgent in some way... When I find myself in this situation I try to tune into myself
I ask myself a series of questions:
What do I need to do?
Why am I not doing it?
Why do I feel like I can't do it?
What would I need right now to be able to feel like I can face it?
If I put this off, what will make me want to do it later that isn't a factor right now?