The Masks We Wear as Small Business Owners

It’s ironic how on Halloween, we wear masks for fun, yet the rest of the year, so many of us wear them out of habit. As small business owners, our favorite mask is perfection. The “everything’s FINE” face. But lately, I haven’t had it all together.

I’ve been overwhelmed. My brain’s been so full, it's felt like a giant log jam. I’m worried about our country. About my neighbors. About kids going hungry. And yes, I’m stressed about my book launch as the days tick closer.

So last week, I did something on the spur of the moment.

I left my life for 24 hours. No emails, no Zoom calls, no to-dos, no pretending everything was FINE. It was unplanned - an extension of an existing work trip.

I was unprepared and had to stop by a thrift store to grab a warm coat, pants, shoes, and gloves. Then it was just me, a hiking trail, and later, a giant foam board where I dumped every thought, task, and worry out of my head.

Then I prioritized tasks for later. Then I rested. It wasn’t a cure-all. But it was a start.

And I realized, maybe the bravest thing we can do as entrepreneurs... as humans... isn’t pushing harder. It’s pausing longer. Maybe the real mask we need to take off isn’t perfection - it’s the one that hides our humanity.

Those of you who know me know that I hate the word FINE.

Maybe it’s time to realize that 'FINE' is an F word, and occasionally, we need to say, "F that."