Years ago when my business was new and I was full of beans, it dawned on me that the potential for high stress levels was going to be constantly present. I saw what it did to my dad and others of his generation and I was not going down that road. One particular client I had early on was a great mentor for how to manage stress. She took me aside on several occasions and pointed out how certain situations were breeding grounds for stress and poor long-term health issues. She was an independent multimedia producer back in the day when we used 35mm slides, 4×5 transparencies (converted to slides) and tape to tape reels for recording the audio. 100% analog and fun. I listened to her quite a bit and over the course of our photography projects, I really gained an appreciation for how she helped me. I hope to pass along some of these tidbits to you. I trust you’ll find them helpful.
They are in no particular order:
1) Be conscious of what you’re doing.
2) Be who you are and not somebody else.
3) Be the source of what you say.
4) Don’t get value from a bad situation.
5) Don’t get angry, get clear.
6) Be a thermostat, not a thermometer.
7) Focus on group purpose.
8) Get agreements up front and in writing.
9) Create and environment of support.
10) Acknowledge people, especially the bad ones.
11) Don’t complain to anyone who can’t do anything about it.
12) Be easy and let life work.
13) Tell the truth and you’ll have less to remember because your story never changes.
14) Make your life and act of love.
Be well.
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