Freelancing to Freedom

Life can be overwhelming. Understatement of the year. Between work, family, friends, relationships, and everything else in between, it can be hard to find time to breathe in a moment of peace. The other night it took me hours to fall asleep because my mind just would not shut off – it just kept going in circles trying to make sense of my busy week, something I’m sure many of you can relate to.

And then I woke up the other morning to hear of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Everything was put into perspective very quickly. I went for coffee with a friend and we talked about how all the little things we obsess about in our daily lives  just don’t seem to matter when tragedies of such a magnitude occur.

The other day in yoga class, the instructor told a story before starting. She said she had woken up to find her car blocked in with a flat tire. She had said to herself, “This could be a very bad day.” Instead, she decided to “change the lens.” She bought herself a hot drink and walked everywhere that day instead. “It was lovely. I encourage all of you to change the lens.”

Change the lens, change your perspective. As a freelancer, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged. During these periods of doubt, however, it’s important to remember the reasons why you decided to freelance in the first place. Ride it out and remember that you are ultimately in control of your life. If you aren’t happy – change something. Maximize your freedom.

Make a list of everything you’re grateful for and read it every day – it’s a great way to keep things in perspective. And send some love to our friends across the world this week.

Namaste – my heart goes out to you.