In June [of 2026], I went to Females on Fire. If you’ve never been to a conference and you’re a woman with a growth mindset who wants to start or grow a business, this one might be for you.
I’ve been three years in a row because I always feel seen in the room. My work, my vision, who I am, and who I’m trying to become aren’t judged or taken for granted. For a few days, everything seems to click. Being surrounded by energy, ideas, and possibility leaves you full of fire (no pun intended) and a notebook packed with ideas and to-do items. When I got home, that fire was still burning inside. I had plans, momentum, and a list of things I was ready to start. But that feeling slowly faded.
This is More Common Than You Think
If you’ve ever gone to a conference and come home on a high, only to find yourself back to normal in a few weeks, you’re not alone. And you’re certainly not doing anything wrong. The conference high is real—and so is the post-conference slump that follows.
When you get home, you go back to your regular life. And while you were away, things piled up: the inbox, the admin tasks, and the day-to-day. The ideas you brought home with you get placed on the back burner because of the reality of limited time and energy. That momentum you had in the room starts to feel harder to access when you’re sitting at your desk on a random Tuesday.
For me, it wasn’t just about the re-entry to normal life. June was a monumental month for me, with a few major things happening at the same time. And they compounded at the end of the month and ever since.
For starters, there seemed to be fewer job opportunities for Operations Support. Yes, they are out there, but most postings are asking for someone who can overhaul the entire infrastructure of a business for $25 an hour. And with these types of hires, the math ain’t mathing.
I also became the President of my networking chapter. And while this sounds good on paper, I’ve been ruffling some feathers. Slowly changing the way things are done and trying to evolve something people see as their personal happy hour has been a struggle.
And on top of this, I’ve had to spend more money than I planned this year. I started a trademark process, I needed new equipment, and I’ve joined my local Chamber of Commerce.
To say that I’m in a slump right now is kind of an understatement. Some weeks it feels like I’m pushing a boulder uphill with no clear sign of when I’ll reach the peak.
Why the Slump Hits So Hard
There’s something particularly disorienting about a slump that follows a high. It doesn’t feel like it’s just a season, or like I’m in a slow period. It feels more like proof that the high wasn’t real. Almost like the version of me that was in that room was temporary, and the slump is the real me.
But I know that’s not true, even if it feels that way. I want to remind you of that too.
The gap between where you were and where you are now makes the slump feel bigger than it actually is. And with external forces trying to control you every step of the way, it’s easy to start questioning everything.
What I’m Working Through (And What Might Help You Too)
Usually my posts on BBS are educational, meant to inspire and teach you something. But this one is real, raw, and I wanted to write it for all the small business owners trying to be everything to everyone. So I’m not going to wrap this up with a bow and call it a day. Because I’m still in it. Here’s what I’ve learned (and am learning) along the way:
Let go of what you can’t control. My coach reminded me of this recently, and it landed harder than I expected. I’m falling back into my old patterns of letting things I can’t control take up rent space in my head—and it needs to stop. Holding tightly to things we can’t move is exhausting, and it’s not making anything move faster by doing so. Release that grip, even just a little, to make room for more actual forward motion.
Go back to what fired you up. Make some time to look at your conference notes. Especially those pages you filled up when your hand started to cramp, but you kept writing anyway. You’re not looking at them to recreate a feeling, but more to remember what you actually heard and what that made you want to do. There were probably ideas in there worth revisiting that got buried under the weight of reality once you got home. The thing that stuck out for me is when my friend Autumn said, “It’s when the world feels heaviest that your voice matters most.”
Find your next thing. When everything feels like it’s at a standstill, trying to solve all your problems at once is the fastest way to freeze. So, pick one thing. Yes, just one. It’s the thing that is your biggest priority or the thing you keep pushing off because you think it’s too hard. Make the phone call, send that email, or finish the blog you’ve been writing for months. Momentum doesn’t come back all at once. But the more you put in the effort, the easier it comes back, one small thing at a time.
Audit what’s actually true. Slumps have a way of making everything look like it’s evidence that you failed. Before you accept that narrative, take a look at what’s actually going on. Sometimes things are slower than you like, but it’s just for a season. Other times, there are real problems worth addressing. Knowing the difference between facts and feelings is what matters.
Give yourself more grace than feels reasonable. If you feel like I do, you’ve been running hard. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Maybe you took on too much and said yes to a presidency for a networking group that wasn’t ready for someone like you. Or maybe you invested so much in your business, and it feels like it’s backfiring. Remember, slumps aren’t a sign that you’re failing. They’re usually a sign that you’ve been pushing too hard for too long, without support, and you need a break. If your best friend was feeling like we are right now, what would you say to them? Give yourself this same advice and see how it works.
The Fire Doesn’t Go Out
Females on Fire lit something in me, as it always does. That feeling didn’t disappear because the post-conference slump came on. It’s still there, hidden, buried beneath the surface.
The work right now isn’t just about getting back to that high. It’s about building the kind of foundation that keeps you going even when you’re in a slump. The systems, the support, and the habits I’ve built in my business (and for my clients) are the ones that will carry me through seasons like this one. And when you set them up, they’ll carry you too.
The work I’m doing right now is a slower, quieter kind. But what I’m doing will help me build something better on the other side. Take advantage of the downtime and use it to build something that will be beneficial to you—in life and in business.
If you’ve been in a similar season, or are in one right now, I see you. It’s not permanent, and you’re not as far off as you think. But if you need support to talk through it, join my free community, SheSupports. It’s for women supporting women who understand what it’s like.
