Sometimes, life can be too much.
Pop star Ariana Grande definitely knows what we mean. The singer unexpectedly began to cry during her Saturday night concert in St. Louis, much to the concern of her fans. Soon after, she explained (in a now-deleted post) that she had been overwhelmed by negative emotions.
“I feel everything very intensely and have committed to doing this tour during a time in my life when I’m still processing a lot,” she had written. “So sometimes I cry a lot!”
Grande has said she still struggles with the suicide bombing at her Manchester, England performance in May 2017, which took the lives of 22 attendees. The loss of her ex-boyfriend, fellow musician Mac Miller, to an accidental overdose and the end of her engagement to comedian Pete Davidson have also affected Grande.
[Related: 13 Inspirational Startup Stories of Women Who Overcame, Saw and Conquered]
Hard times are a fact of life for all of us, no matter how rich or famous we become. When you’re the boss of your business, however, dealing with the fallout while still handling your professional obligations can be especially challenging — even lonely.
When we asked entrepreneurial experts for their thoughts on how to navigate the tough times, they came through with a variety of ideas.
[Related: Getting Over That Negative Voice Inside Your Head]
She Summit founder Claudia Chan suggested simple solutions like good music and focused thinking. “Inhale the good. Exhale the negative. Keep going until you start feeling cleansed of negative thoughts. For me it’s at least 5-10 minutes,” she says. “You should feel a shift into positive energy.”
Meanwhile, executive coach Ann Mehl suggests finding strength in numbers. “Ninety percent of all our fears are born of loneliness and fatigue. There’s a remedy for that: Get some proper rest and reach out to someone — a coach, mentor, support group — anyone who will listen without judgment about what you are currently experiencing,” she says. “Resist the temptation to push people away while you ‘get your head together.’”
[Related: Tory Burch Advises Women Entrepreneurs to Think of Negativity as Noise]
Beauty business guru Angela Jia Kim also suggested an outward-focused approach, but with a twist: “help someone else.” She explains, “[W]hen you solve someone else’s problems, you are actually increasing your endorphin and creativity levels. The most amazing breakthroughs come from increased creativity, which get you to think outside of the box.”
However you choose to work through negative emotions, just remember that there’s nothing to be ashamed of, and you aren’t alone — even though it may feel that way.
[Related: How to Stay Inspired When You Really Need a Boost]