Freelancing to Freedom

Ah, the best laid plans. Ever have one of those days, weeks, or months where it seems everything is going more smoothly than you ever could have hoped for? You landed that ideal client, exceeded your financial goals, grew your business exponentially, and maybe even snagged the man or woman of your dreams.

Then out of nowhere! Bam! Life punches you in the face. You lose a great client unexpectedly. Work starts slowing down. It feels as if your business is at a standstill. So what do you do? Roll with it. While some things in life are much harder and more devastating to bounce back from than others, never underestimate the power of a new perspective.

Last week, I was looking forward to a networking event with other small business owners and freelancers. I woke up so excited that morning and wondered what opportunities would present themselves at the event. I also woke up that morning to an unexpected dump of snow.

Half an hour before the event started, I tried calling a cab. Half an hour later, covered in snow, hands frozen from hitting redial and fruitlessly trying to hail a cab, I trudged dejectedly back into my apartment. My initial thoughts: “Poor me.” “Why didn’t I plan ahead better?” “Who can I vent to?” “What a waste.” “My business is going to suffer now.”

After indulging in about two minutes of this kind of destructive thinking, I took a deep breath and decided to head to my favourite coffee shop with the goal in mind to meet one new person there rather than wallow in the loss all morning, something that would have been very easy to do. I made an active decision to change my attitude and find a positive alternative.

And it paid off. I had a great conversation with a local business person and we exchanged contact information. I also had a fully productive morning and enjoyed coffee with a friend.

Obviously my issue was a very minor setback – more of an annoyance really – but this principle of rolling with the punches and changing your outlook applies to more serious situations as well. Sometimes it can take a while to see the good in a seemingly negative situation, but if you are mindful of the new outcomes the setback could eventually bring your way, solutions and new opportunities you never could have imagined will often present themselves.

So the next time you find yourself obsessing about something that went wrong, actively ask yourself, “How are my actions at this point helping me move forward?” Then do something nice for yourself, forgive yourself, be open to new possibilities, and get back to business.

Namaste 🙂