I think I'm pretty qualified to make this post lol. I am dx with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and I'm grieving. I'm also chronically ill lol. So! One of the issues I previously had was "getting my head right" before work. I'd start drowning mentally. I'd find myself so depressed I couldn't eat, let alone get into the club and fucking work. When I did... the grief would make me feel aloof. I couldn't get shit done.

Lately I've been kind of in "preparation" mode as I call it. My mind is preparing itself for something I know is inevitable that's going to absolutely destroy me. There is no doubt about it. It's going to be in combination of the grief I'm already experiencing. Because of this I have to spend a certain slot of time before work factory resetting my brain. Here's how.

1. Hydrate and eat something. Fruit and a small treat tend to be my go-to's to avoid bloat and whatnot. I know this is repetitive advice but it's important.
2. Turn off notifications on your phone for 20-30 minutes. Don't look at it, don't start waiting for someones text. None of that. Your phone needs to be on the complete backburner.
3. Write a mind map if you can. I start with how I'm feeling, what I think the cause or problem is. From there you ask yourself questions : do i have control over this? what can i do right now to help this? etc. And I'm going to give you a piece of advice: relinquish your hold on things that make your hands bleed. If you cannot help it, fix it, or you have no control over it.. Take a deep breath and practice releasing it.
4. You have two goals. Not one, but two. Goal A : get to work. Goal B : make XYZ. That's it. Make those your only goals.
5. Affirmations. You don't have to say it out loud.
   1. You need to think to yourself "there is a time and place for these feelings, my job is not one of those times or places."
   2. "I cannot control everything, but i can control how i handle my job."
   3. "Work will go much smoother if I focus on that. I'm more than capable. I would not have the opportunity if I was not capable."
6. Repeat your sales tactics of the day, what are they? Use flashcards to drill it in your head if you have to. Write down your automatic responses, and review them until its instantaneous for you. This makes it easier if your mind just can't get out of the funk.
7. Start music, whatever kind you want.
8. Learn to disassociate yourself with your emotions at work. This is probably THE hardest thing to do. I mean fuck, pretending nothing is wrong when the world feels like it should have ended is pretty hard. So create a character. Her name is your stage name. She's got XYZ traits. She talks like marilyn monroe and her body is perfect. Whatever you want her to be. And you be her for the next 7 hours.
9. Plan, plan, PLAN. You want a $1000 wednesday, how the shit are you gonna go about it? Are you only gonna offer VIPS to clients? How about have regulars come in for the first two hours to help boost yourself? write a little step by step goal list and a required break time if you can.

These things may not seem like they do much, but they do. One of the things I personally do is write to my boyfriend when things are really hard. I will talk about how unfair everything is, how badly I want to go off the deep end, how badly certain people hurt me after he passed, that I don't know what the fuck I'm doing etcetc. And I mean I will spill it all. and then I follow it up with talks of what I'm going to do and how I'll do it.

I found practicing a large amount of gratefulness toward the industry seems to help. I started using the club as one place to escape everything I can. I'm not me anymore, I'm her. She has no problems, her boyfriend is still visiting soon, she doesn't have chronic illness-- she's just a hot girl that really wants money.