Freelancing – a sweeter way to earn a living

Most of the time, when you hear or read about freelancing, all you come across are the negatives. But whilst it’s true that freelancing can be a tough ol’ gig, it’s worth knowing that it can also be pretty amazing too.

Although I’m still very much a start up freelancer, I can honestly say that making the decision to ‘go out on my own’ has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. It has transformed my life, in more ways than I could have imagined and I can’t recommend it highly enough to those people who have got the stomach for it.

So, for those of you who possess a secret desire to go freelance or for those of you who can’t imagine anything worse,  here is why freelancing tastes so good to me.

• You get to kiss goodbye to the 9-5 routine – I know that there are many people out there who enjoy and take comfort in the Monday to Friday, 9-5 routine, but personally, I hated it. I have never wanted a conventional life or job and so for me, working these hours, week in, week out, often made me feel trapped and resentful. Although I still have to have some kind of routine in order to get things done, I have greater choice and flexibility as a freelancer because it’s up to me when I work and how.

• Life is much more interesting – Those of you who know me well, will know that I like a good challenge and freelancing is definitely that! Yes it’s tough but it’s also exciting AND exhilarating. I’m meeting new people, doing some really interesting work and to top it off, I never know quite what I’ll be doing or who I’ll be meeting next month, next week or sometimes, even tomorrow! Life suddenly seems much more fun and I no longer dread Monday mornings.

• It’s empowering – Every day as a freelancer, I’m learning and acquiring new skills. I have to make tough decisions, pitch for work, deliver results to clients and do all of this….on my own. Sometimes, it scares the hell out of me, but mostly I love it and thrive on the challenges that are thrown my way. I’m becoming more confident, both in myself and in my ability and even though it’s stressful at times, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

• I get paid to do what I love – As a little girl, I spent most of my spare time writing poems or creating magazines in my bedroom. Fast forward 20+ years and whilst I’ve since given up on the poetry, I really feel like I’m ‘living the dream’. From a blog post to a press release, web copy to a magazine feature, I spend most of my time writing. Being able to do this makes me incredibly happy and the fact that I get paid to do it….well, let’s just say, it’s the icing on a very sweet cake.

In a bid to spread even more freelance positivity, you can find out why other freelancers love what they do, at: www.nationalfreelancersday.org.uk/cms/freelancer-case-studies