Freelancing to Freedom

For me, freelancing is about building a life that I can design. I’m a pretty big dreamer, an idealist, if you will. I have a very clear picture of what I want my life to look like as the years go by. But in the now, in the moment, where I’m supposed to be living (with variable rates of success, but I’m working on it!), it’s about finding a balance between building a successful, profitable business and designing a long-term plan for a free lifestyle while still being aware of life’s other “details,” like personal relationships.

Balance, balance, balance. There’s nothing wrong with envisioning what you want your life to look like. In fact, I believe it’s important to assess your short-term goals to see if they are lining up with the big-picture vision. Small steps to a huge result. But don’t forget to remember that your life is happening right now, and that relationships need attention in the moment.

In a yoga class a couple weeks ago, the instructor told us a story about a cab driver in New York who drove an old woman to a hospice. Instead of taking her straight to the place where she would spend her final weeks, he drove her around the city for two hours (with the metre off) while she pointed out all the places where significant events had occurred in her life. When he dropped her off, she gave him a hug and told him that he’d given an old woman a final few moments of happiness. The driver realized that driving that woman around that night was the most important thing he’d ever done in his life.

In the end, how we make others feel is all that matters. Take the time to make the important people in your life feel loved, and send a smile to a stranger. This is living in the moment.

I can’t think of anything better than being excited about your life and the people in it right now while constantly working to grow and improve for the long-term.

This week’s goal: Write for fun.

Song of the week:  “Finger” – Ty Segall