When the Sales Slow Down: A Real Talk from an Artist

I’ve been antsy lately. Inpatient. Overwhelmed with the weight of things not going the way I planned. It’s not easy seeing so many other artists posting sold-out drops and daily orders while I’m sitting here questioning if I’m even good enough.

It’s hard to admit this, but it’s real.

Art was never meant to be just a product. It’s an experience. A connection. A luxury to own something from a real living artist who poured their emotions into a canvas. But being on this side of it… it gets heavy. The comparisons creep in. The self-doubt. The constant why not me? Why isn’t my art selling today? Maybe it’s not that unique. Maybe I’m not as talented as I thought I was.

These thoughts swirl around more than I’d like to admit.

Sometimes it gets so loud in my head that I have to physically leave the house. This morning I took a long walk with my headphones in. I didn’t plan where I was going. I just needed to walk and clear my mind. The music drowned out the inner critic and for a moment I was just present. I saw new flowers blooming. I took photos of little things that caught my eye. I danced a little too. That walk was its own kind of therapy.

When I came home, something shifted.

I felt lighter. More hopeful. I remembered why I’m doing this. That raising my prices wasn’t a mistake—it was a step toward valuing my work the way I want others to. That telling my story will eventually reach the right people. The ones who get it. The ones who feel my art. I just need to trust that. I need to be patient. I need to slow down. I need to stop comparing. I need to believe in myself because it’s way too easy for me to give up when I start spiraling.

It’s normal to feel down when things aren’t happening the way we want. I have to remind myself—I’m still new to marketing. I had such an amazing year last year with sales. That doesn’t mean every season will look the same. That doesn’t mean I’ve failed.

Flowers in dreamland

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This journey takes hard work. It takes resilience. It takes getting through the dips and still choosing to show up. And for me, that means walking it off. Talking it out. Venting when I need to. Letting nature remind me that things grow in their own time.

If you’re an artist or a dreamer or just someone trying your best… I hope you give yourself grace too.

You’re not behind. You’re just growing.