Did gravity increase over the weekend?

I did a show this weekend. It was at a major tourist attraction. There were people there, but not as many as I had hoped. Probably because the gas prices in California have increased so dramatically over the last few days. There wasn't even much traffic along the drive home Sunday night.

By the time I got home very late on Sunday, I was exhausted. When I woke up Monday morning, I could barely get myself out of bed. It felt like somebody had increased gravity by about 20%.

So, why did I feel this way? Good question.

Over the years I have been doing shows, I have noticed the following phenomenon: I go home more tired and exhausted from a show where my sales are low. And, I'm not the only one who has experienced this. I have talked to many other artists and they have all told me the same thing: it is more exhausting to do a show where you are not selling.

I don't know why this occurs. Maybe it's the lack of affirmation. Maybe it's the disappointment that your work is not desired enough. Maybe it is the tremendous effort that you have to put forth in order to keep being positive in the face of adversity.

Whatever the reason, it sucks. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all want the affirmation that cash in our hand can bring. Something really special happens with that exchange of cash for something that you made with your own hands. It says that another person values your work (and therefore, you) enough to make an investment.

Wow! That's a powerful thing. An experience like that can be inspiring, uplifting, and encouraging. It makes you want to sell more so you can feel it again. And, it makes you want to create more.

Unfortunately, we all experience shows with less than stellar sales. It's part of the artist life. We can do our best to minimize these shows, but we just have to understand that in spite of our best efforts, some days we go home with zero.

And I know this is easier said than done, but the best advice I can give for this situation is to stay positive.