Happy 3rd year of freelancing to me!
1 CommentWhoop, the confetti cannon spews glittering shards of shiny paper, there is merriment and a band playing and there are many, many balloons – except the balloons all lose their air and make a raspberry noise like – plerrrrrrhhhggghhhhhh
It sort of feels like that at the moment, I’m not sure it’s ever been a worse time to be freelance? For some and many people I know, it is.
The life of a freelancer can be very uncertain and in these times, uncertainty is the only certainty (does that make sense? I hope so).
What I can tell you is that I still haven’t had to eat out of a bin yet, I mean given the situation if I saw half a still frozen Vienetta on the top of the bin then I would eat it, because I love it and that is not an essential item to just ‘pop out’ for.
Last year I celebrated all that I was grateful for and the for my first year I think I was ecstatic just to have made any sort of money whatsoever and busted some freelance myths.
Three things I have learnt since becoming freelance
- You will undervalue yourself, even though you tell others not to – on more than one occasion I have undercharged, or done more than the contract asked for and not said a word – just berated myself after. At Christmas time I met up with a freelancer I really admire who gave it to me straight – I was undercharging and over delivering, it was the boot up the arse I needed.
- Learning to say ‘No’ is a tool in self care – this is so important, no-one else is going to do it for us so we must be sure that we can do it. It will feel wrong in your mouth, we like to please people and be favourable, but at what cost? Burn out is not sexy and I have done it more than I like to admit.
- Being vulnerable is good – if your mental health isn’t good, if you’re struggling with money or finding more work then please share this with someone. It is not weak to admit you’re finding things tough. I know it’s really hard, but please consider doing it <3
You’re on a downer dude
Sorry, I am grateful and ok I promise. This year work wise has been incredibly rewarding so far it’s just this is a very odd time and it’s Monday and I don’t like Monday’s.
Three years have passed quickly, or so it seems to us as well. We are both incredibly proud of what you have achieved in these three years and we are confident that you can continue to build on your successes to date. Always remember we are right behind you in every respect. Happy 3rd Birthday! Love from both of us…Mum and Jeff. Xxx
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