So you didn’t sleep well last night

But you have a live calligraphy event today. Eek! And now you’re nervous because, you wanted to have a full night’s rest, because you always want to impress.

But then…you didn’t sleep well last night.

We’ve all been there. And if you’re a new mama or parent, you’re very familiar with the pressure of being your best on little to no rest (see what I did there ;)).

This happened to me last December, and the stress of no sleep, was only making the already piling on stress so stressful! A stress cycle™, if you will — that spares no one (see Figure 1).

So I wanted to share with you some of the tips that I found helpful after completing my live event (yay!), and little things that might help YOU in case you’re ever in this situation.

So lo and behold, here are my top 3 tips for when life and no sleep happens, but you still have a live event to razzle dazzle at:

1) Do not have caffeine.*

Let me say it one more time for the people in the back, I repeat, do not have caffeine. It might feel good, it might sound like the PERFECT solution, but you will not be thinking that when the jitters are coming for you right as you’re working on that one downstroke, or closing the loop on that final “o".

2) Give yourself some grace

I should mention that this should have probably been number one, but I’ve already started writing, so let’s pretend it’s number one on the list. Things usually don’t go according to plan, so let’s try to work on the things that we have some control over. You are not alone! Yes, you might have been hired as the sole engraver, or calligrapher, or artist, but the sales associates at the store, or the people with you at the event are usually super nice. If you’re having trouble garnering interest for your activation, these people are here to help. Let them know once you show up on-site exactly what it is that you’re offering, and let them carry that boulder with you. Most everyone loves to help and work towards a common cause, and a support system during your event will make your sleep-deprived-self feel like you’re on a team.

P.S. I’ve found that coming to your live event with a gift for the associates (if you’re working at a store) is a really great way to bolster connection and camaraderie. No one hates the person that brought the double fudge sea salt chocolate chip cookies.

3. Help yourself during the week! (especially on the days where you are feeling your best)

This can come in a lot of different ways! One of the best ways to make the night before a big event less daunting, is by packing up all of your kit throughout the week. Make those decisions early on, so that you can focus on getting optimal sleep the night before, and not trying to figure out if your cordless lamp is fully charged, or where you left your favorite nib.

Note that I cannot tell you to avoid caffeine. You are your own boss, and that’s why we are in this boss world together. I am simply sharing some of the ~ insights ~ that might make your stress cycle a little less daunting** (see above), and to let you know that you are not alone! You can do it! So go on and razzle dazzle that live event. ☆