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Since I have admitted to myself and others I have been dealing with depression, it has brought a sense of calming to my life at home and work. I know I am not alone in what I am going through: so many others share in this daily struggle with me. There is no ideal person who you can put into this category; all types of people are going through this.
Therapy helps. I am so thankful for my friend Elizabeth Belliveau, owner of Enlightened Interventions LLC in Worcester, for helping me find a therapist suited to my personality. I remember the day I texted Liz and told her I needed help. She was on it right away, and for that, I am indebted to her. It took a lot of courage for me – a typically open, honest and vulnerable person – to share my life with someone I didn’t know, but it is the best thing I could have done.
How did I know I needed help vs. just going through a funk? It was honestly taking me everything I had to get out of bed. I would wake up and count the hours until I could crawl back in. My husband was working a lot of night shifts, and I knew the days he would not be home I would be able to hide from him how early I was calling it quits on my day. It took all of my energy to put on a brave face. When my employees would come to me, they may have thought I didn’t care about what they were telling me. Inside, I cared, but I was in such a fog I didn’t have my normal reaction. They probably noticed my absence. I didn’t have the excitement I’ve had since my last resurgence of The Queen’s Cups over the past year. I found myself falling back into my old habits: negative, miserable and isolated.
When the weeks went by, and I would be in bed at 6:30 at night, I started wondering how I got here again. I wallowed in self pity for a bit, but something changed. I was not willing to let my mental health halt everything I had been working for. So, I started seeing my therapist once a week and started getting things off my chest I had never shared with anyone. Each time I went, I cried and then cried again. It is not easy to talk about decisions I have made or express the immense amount of pressure I put on myself as a business owner over the years. The guilt, the resentment towards others, the loneliness; it all came out, and it hurt like hell. The tears were the release of things I’d been holding in for a long time because of the fear of judgement from myself, colleagues and staff.
But here is what I’ve learned: Guilt should only accompany something you did intentionally; I am stronger than I thought and braver than I could have imagined. I am no one’s keeper except myself. I cannot be everything to everyone. Forgiveness of yourself should come before forgiving others. Boundaries are okay and necessary in life. Self-awareness is key. As we change and grow, we may lose people along the way, and that is okay. I learned a lot in a short amount of time, and I look forward to therapy.
This experience has, once again, made me a better boss and person to those in my life. There will always be things I can improve on, but through therapy, I am finding the motivation again to get better and make sure The Queen’s Cups gets better along with me. I lost that for a while.
If you are a person who can relate to this article, make today your day. As my friend Sarah Medeiros said in an inspiring post, “I quit.” Meaning, I quit being unable to get through the day without using all my energy and having nothing left. I quit eating my feelings and using food as an escape. I quit feeling miserable and not doing anything about it. I quit thinking because mental illness runs in my family, I am supposed to just be this way. Lean on those around you and know it’s a journey.
Renee Diaz is the owner of The Queen’s Cups bakery, which generated more than $1 million in revenue last year.
In 2017, Renee Diaz moved her upstart cupcake business The Queen's Cups from Millbury into a larger space in Worcester's Canal District. With a year of lessons learned, she now writes the monthly advice column The Struggle is Real to help entrepreneurs and business owners navigate their own trials and tribulations.
Read the other The Struggle is Real columns:
Entrepreneurship isn't wonderful all the time
A beauty queen and a BBQ king saved my soul
Being a baker is not my dream job
Guacamole, pink cookies and why I provide extra paid maternity leave
Why I know all of my staff's birthdays
The Christmas party I always wanted
Want vegan cupcakes or fondant wedding cake? Check out my competition
The man who gave me hives doesn't get enough credit
Your hurtful reviews have human consequences
Stop micromanaging your life. I mean it.
What comes after success? I don't know.
Construction, WooSox & regulation are killing Canal District dreams
I have always enjoyed following Renee’s journey, and today I am proud that she shared her struggle that many experience daily.
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Worcester Business Journal provides the top coverage of news, trends, data, politics and personalities of the Central Mass business community. Get the news and information you need from the award-winning writers at WBJ. Don’t miss out - subscribe today.
Worcester Business Journal presents a special commemorative edition celebrating the 300th anniversary of the city of Worcester. This landmark publication covers the city and region’s rich history of growth and innovation.
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