Reality bites…

I’ve always wanted to be a freelance writer and finally after many years of talking about it and weighing up the idea, I’m now actually doing it or attempting to at least.

When I resigned from my job as marketing manager to take the plunge,  I felt a mixture of pride, excitement and shock. Fast-forward six weeks and a new feeling has now become part of my daily routine… I am officially ‘daunted’.

Sometimes I think to myself ‘What the hell have I done?’ but for now I’m ignoring that niggling voice and battling through. It’s been a tough few weeks but I’m still here, still hanging in. I’m hopeful and I’m learning. Without doubt it’s proving to be one of the toughest things I’ve ever done but then as the closest to me will testify, I’ve always enjoyed a good challenge.

It’s now been just over two weeks since I left my job and colleagues behind and here’s what I’ve learnt so far as a start-up freelancer:

1) I should have prepared more –  getting organised sounds so easy but as I’ve learnt, takes a whole lot of time. I underestimated how much there is to do when starting off and so frustration set in. After two weeks of ‘getting stuff done’ I now feel like I’m finally making some progress.

2) It can be lonely at times – after just a couple of days, I began to miss my colleagues and the day to day social interaction that comes with working in an office. I’ve learnt that if I don’t leave my desk often, I WILL go crazy… so to tackle it, I’m making more of an effort to get out and about and see friends which is definitely helping.

3) I need to be brave – I’ve accepted that going freelance isn’t easy and I’m fighting the fear and doing it anyway. The knot in the stomach is a persistent friend but I’m ignoring it. When the fear of writing strikes, I just need to breathe and take action…the words will come.

4) Patience is key – not one of my strong points, but a lesson that I am learning. I’m beginning to realise that sometimes, the best things in life take time and often longer than we expect.

5) That I’ve done the right thing – I was sad to leave my old job and colleagues behind and frightened too, that I might have made a dreadful mistake. But, as much as I miss what I’ve left behind, I know there is much to look forward to. The freedom of being my own boss means I can now choose when and how I work and even with who. That in itself makes it all worthwhile.