Back in October I entered the wonderfully freeing, but equally terrifying world of freelancing. Though working for myself is something I’ve wanted to do for some time, I was ultimately pushed towards this option because of circumstances largely out of my control. Over the last year I’ve had three different jobs which all for one reason or another, didn’t stick.
Each instance crushed my spirit a bit, especially taking into account all of the unpaid labor one is expected to do for the goodness of the company, combined with the callous way employees are often treated. If there is one thing I’ve learned over this year it’s that these jobs ain’t loyal, despite the jedi-mind tricks they try to play on you to get you to be loyal to them.
Still, I desired and sought out full-time employment because that’s all I knew, and that’s what I’ve been told would secure me a future and the money I need to survive day-to-day and beyond. To keep myself afloat though, I’ve been building up clients little by little, getting good traction along the way.
After my last job hit the skids with the whole team I was working with getting the boot, I simply didn’t have the heart of desire to get back out there and try again. One day I just kind of thought, “What if you bet on myself?” I made the decision to try it on my own.
The decision to freelance though hasn’t been without bumps in the road. The media industry is fickle and going through a lot of growing pains as more and more publications and companies move from print to digital. Every day is a hustle to not only find assignments, but to turn them into something reoccurring preferably, to network and constantly be marketing myself in some way, and even figuring out how to get paid on time is part of the game.
Giving up the quest for full-time salaried employment has been liberating, and scary, but not overwhelmingly so, and overall I feel really good about my decision. Knowing that there’s no guaranteed paycheck at the end of the month has forced me to be much more creative with how I make money, I’m also learning to be more mindful of where I put my time and energy, especially in relation to the amount of money I’m being paid.
Freelancing has also forced me to think outside the box, taking inventory of not just what I’d like to be doing, but what I’m truly capable of and work on ways to make my talents profitable. Besides all of that, as I prepare to live a more international life, (as if that is any more possible) working for myself gives me peak mobility. All in all, I’m really happy and pleased with the way life is going and am extremely optimistic about the future and my decision to “bet on myself.” Have you ever set out on an unknown path? How did you know it was time to make a change in your life?
