Freelancing to Freedom

Since graduating from university, I haven’t been able to make a prediction as to what my life will look like in one year (in university, I knew the next year would include more essays, more reading, and more excessive partying). Granted, none of us can ever know what our lives will look like with certainty, but we often get to a point where we can make a fairly estimated guess. Over the last few months this really started to bother me – “What the heck is in store for me as a freelancer? There’s so much I want to achieve, so much I want to try.”  But I’ve come to a point now where I’m well on the way to not just accepting this reality, but embracing it.

We hear people say all the time, “How boring would life be if we knew exactly what was going to happen?” Well of course. Fairly obvious statement. But I think deep down, the uncertainty terrifies the majority of us. By shifting our perspective, the uncertainty of each new day, each new year, can be seen as thrilling rather than a burden (thanks to my fabulous business coach, Adrienne Furrie, for the great chat about this).

Freelancers wear many hats, and we need to constantly evaluate how good each one looks on us. We also need to be OK with trying one on that’s completely different than our usual style – perhaps something completely outlandish, with feathers and beads. This doesn’t mean we have to wear it every day for the rest of our lives. There’s nothing wrong with trying something new and then deciding it’s not for you.

Working for yourself allows you the freedom to grow and expand different aspects of your business, to try on multiple hats. As many of you know, yoga has become a passion for me, one that I plan on pursuing for life. While some may argue that yoga has nothing to do with freelancing, yoga helps me approach my work with motivation, energy, and a fresh perspective. After sitting at a computer for hours on end, I crave activity. Yoga perfectly complements my freelance lifestyle, and so I’ve chosen to develop this aspect of my “business” even further.

During my yoga practice, I often focus on the intention of achieving “active contentment.” The idea is to be completely at peace with where you’re at in the moment while still actively reflecting on what you want and making a plan to get there. So try on a bright pink hat today. Don’t worry if it looks silly or if you think you won’t like it in a few months. Maybe you will love it right now. And how else will you know if it fits?

Namaste 🙂