Burnt Out and Blue

Hi everyone. I’m not going to sugarcoat anything today: I’m really struggling right now.

For a while, I’ve been feeling increasingly burnt out on the work front — no huge surprise in an industry that’s notoriously tough these days, especially for freelancers. Add in the Dumpster fire that is US politics; rainy, windy Dutch weather blowing in with vengeance this week; and some struggles in my personal life, and there you have it: a blue mood I can’t seem to shake.

I’m so lucky to have a supportive family and great therapist, and I know I won’t always feel this crappy. But for now, this is where I am.

I also have a big birthday coming up in mid-November, and until then, I’m giving myself a gift: a temporary but intentional break from pitching.* This doesn’t mean I won’t be working, of course: I have a couple assignments in the pipeline to wrap up (and of course am open to story commissions that are a good fit), plus a conference and an editing gig coming up, both of which I’m looking forward to. Meanwhile, my 100 Haunts project and a few assignments from an anchor client I love working with are keeping me plenty busy.

But the exhausting, increasingly demoralizing process of carefully crafting a pitch, sending it to an editor, following up, and hoping for a reply that may very well never come? I just don’t have the emotional bandwidth at the moment. My bank account may suffer, but my mental health needs a break.

Instead, I’m putting the energy I would have directed to pitching toward following the advice of the spiritual advisor at the menopause retreat I attended this spring. I asked her about coping strategies in this increasingly unsettling world of ours, and she told me to make this my mantra: “I insist on seeking out that which is life affirming.”

For me, that means leaning hard into my health, my family, and, luckily, a big work project I’m excited about. All very life affirming — and all of which will have my full attention over the next two months. Here’s to brighter days ahead.

* For publicists, more specifics below.

If you’re not a publicist, feel free to skip this part. But here’s a bit more about my pitching pause, and how it affects your pitches to me:

• No need to remove me from distribution lists! But please be advised I won’t be responding to unsolicited emails/pitches/releases over the next couple of months.

• Rest assured I am still actively working on securing (additional) coverage for trips we’ve collaborated on. As soon as I have confirmation of an assignment or a run date, you will be the first to know.

• I may reach out if I’m assigned something that needs sources.

• I’m still in the research phase for 100 Haunts of a Lifetime, so please keep pitching relevant destinations on that front! More info linked here.

I know it’s tough these days for everyone in media, and that everyone is just trying to do their jobs. Thank you, truly, for all you do.

If you’re still with me, thanks for coming to the pity party. I appreciate you being here more than you know.

And if you, like me, are struggling through a difficult chapter, please know that you’re not alone. This, too, shall pass — right?

Hugs,

Blane