№ 4 — Freelancing can make you exhausted. But you should be tired for the right reasons. The hustle, by definition, shouldn’t bog you down.

It’s extremely exhausting not knowing what your future days are going to look like. What? Don’t give me that look. Any freelancer that tells you with 100% certainty that their schedule is perfect, and they never deviate, is lying. They are absolutely lying.

We should rename freelancing to feelancing, or perhaps, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-lancing.

Sometimes I wake up and stare at my inbox with relief. Ah, nothing to do right now, I can watch Mr. Robot in peace. And I get to do just that, with my partner, and have a wonderful relaxing morning. The mornings I would never have gotten to have in a traditional work setting.

Then crippling financial anxiety crops up, and within the next hour I’ve magically been invited to host a webinar on wordpress, and provide life advice on how to best get cat puke out of someone’s rug.

My life as a freelancer is crazy, and if you can’t handle chaos, you are best off not freelancing.

I repeat.

If you can’t handle chaos, you are best off not freelancing.

I can hear you, eye-rollers. You are rolling your eyes so hard you’re creating a magnetic field that’s starting to crackle across my screen.

You’re thinking: Well, Kira, that’s because you suck at scheduling your time. And why even help the girl who needed advice on removing cat puke? Well, you got me on the second part, but hear me out.

Let me tell you the real answer why working for yourself is exhausting: it’s about opportunities.

Working for yourself is exhausting because if you have tons of opportunities, that come each day, fitting them into your schedule can sometimes be — quite frankly — exhausting. And I am a big supporter of work / life balance, believe me, but there are times that you can’t avoid the dredge.

Are you brave enough, prepared enough, and strong enough to understand that at some point, you are going to need to forego a ‘I want to do this’ for a ‘I need to take this opportunity’? I’m not saying abandon pleasantries and wake up at 4:30am every day to get down to business. Not at all.

I’m saying you need to open the door when someone, or something valuable knocks.

You miss out on all the opportunities you do not take.

When your future is nebulous, no amount of planning is going to prepare you for the ‘next big break’. And if you’re pro-active, and strong of heart, stubborn, and driven — those ‘big break’ opportunities could potentially be all around you. And often are.

So what do you do when opportunity comes knocking, after you hustled your ass off to get it to the door in the first place? Do you say “no, sorry, I’m eating a pickle right now…can’t answer this amazingly important phone call and secure my livelihood for the next 4 months.” No, you don’t. You answer the damn phone. And put down the freaking pickle.

Sure flying by the seat of your pants can be exhausting. But is it any worse than missing out on time with loved ones, and not having the freedom to do your best work?

Freelancing can make you exhausted. But you should be tired for the right reasons. The hustle, by definition, shouldn’t bog you down.

Photo by Daniel Monteiro on Unsplash

№ 5 — Freelancing allows you to prioritize you, and your future path, the way you want. The opportunities for introspection are endless.

I’ve written above about time, freedom, opportunities, and fear. And with all these conflicting, strong topics and emotions, one thing is certain:

Freelancing allows you to shape your path. Through the bravery of taking your own road, you find out who you are.

I’ve learned that I am incredibly extroverted — moreso than I ever thought possible. I’ve learned this because I was able to sit back, process my life, and figure out what I enjoy. Who I enjoy. Who I am.

I’ve learned I need far more ‘recharge’ time than I ever thought I needed. You will soon figure out your emotional and mental threshold. It’s impossible not to, when you work for yourself.

I’ve learned what I am worth, by social proofing and listening to the market value, and reaching higher than I ever have before. You’ll learn your worth — and own it — with all the opportunities you make for yourself. Working for yourself allows you this power.

I’ve learned I need my rich, fanciful hobbies like air. Hobbies that directly contribute to my career, and my growth as a person. Your own hobbies are not bad things, or distractions, unless you let them be. You like them for a reason — use them to your advantage.

Working for yourself can put a tight focus on your motivations. This can be the catalyst for your professional development. If you’re brave enough to jump across the roof to the other side.

Even though the future of my career may be unknown, spooky, and as unpredictable as New England weather — I wouldn’t give up my current life for anything short of my dream job.

Your time on this earth is short. It doesn’t make sense to put your career — or your happiness — in the hands of anyone else but yourself.

Remember that.