Figuring Out Life After the Corporate World: Part 2
Four months into Freedom:
I’m not totally sure how FOUR MONTHS have passed since I turned in my corporate badge. Due to crazy life circumstances, I’ve been able to fully enjoy the perks of working a flexible schedule with amazing clients who’s support has meant the world to me as my mom continues to endure brain surgeries in the hospital.
Over the last month, I’ve been humbled down to appreciating the little things in life. Throughout this storm freelancing has provided me a lot of those mini-victories, so this post is a shout out to the things that are going right.
1) clients are awesome
“Client” almost feels like a dirty word. The wonderful people I work with are so much more than that. I’m so blessed to say I get to work with hand-picked individuals who give me a design purpose, as well as moral support. I’ve been absolutely shocked at the number of people who have been willing to post-pone website launches, extend deadlines, and listen to rambling video messages all because they care about me as an individual, not just a contracted resource.
We fuel each other’s dreams, and as of late- I’m pretty sure I’m the lucky one.
2) upwork has been a life saver
Upwork is the trusted platform that I used to launch my lady-boss career, and aside from networking, it’s the primary platform that continues to grow by business today. ( In case you’re dying to check me out, here’s a link to my profile.)
Upwork does a great job at celebrating freelancers who have top success ratings, and I’m convinced that’s why finding clients who just “get” me has been way easier than expected. It’s one thing to get a paycheck, but it’s a totally different reward to work with people who encourage you to put your mental health first. I’m proud to say that after one quarter of full-time work, I’m chipping away that a healthy waiting list and I have the opportunity to choose who I work rather than accepting anything labeled “design work”.
Having a healthy workload has allowed me to define what my own version of success looks like (don’t get me wrong, I’m still trying to figure this one out!). When considering freelancing full time I was fearful that I’d lose all touch with reputable brands and projects that really mattered. After some soul searching, adjusting to my new normal, and reflecting on past experiences, most of my definitions revolved around having meaningful relationships, creating work that sees the light of day, financial security, and having a flexible schedule.
That’s not to say that I don’t have big resume-builder dreams, but freelancing has helped me recenter how I want to reach those goals.
Freelancing has helped me find a find greater purpose along the design journey rather than the final destination alone. I now have the opportunity to fully invest into brands with passionate beginnings. There’s something really empowering about taking someone else’s side hustle to the next level or enhancing a brand who’s on the cusp of bigger and better things- it feels like I have my own unique way to pay it forward.
3) family is everything
I’ll give this shout-out over, and over, and over again– my husband is a saint. Without his constant support, I wouldn’t be in spot I am in today.
5) god is good, all the time
Ultimately, the grand plan is not our own. Sometimes that’s a hard pill to swallow, but this crazy time in life is helping me level set risk and reward. At the end of the day, all you can do is try your best, make calculated decisions, and pray for guidance.
With all the miracles my family has experienced over the last month, it makes transitioning to the freelance world seem like such a small feat. I originally planned on taking the freelance leap at the end of the year- but God knew I’d need the flexibility to work near family. It’s beautiful how seamless the transition to freelance work, finding supportive clients, and needing to spend quality time with my family has all colided together.
Only God could have prepared me for this unforeseen circumstance. Blessed and appreciative is an understatement.
6) my dog is back to her needy self
With all of the travel we’ve been doing, my pup has been all sorts of confused. Think of the routine a toddler needs to be happy, but add puppy kisses and a lot more fur. I can’t lie, I’m loving all of her snuggles. She gets me!