 Last week was, without a doubt, one the very best weeks I’ve ever experienced in my professional career. If I could have scripted a perfect first week on my own as a freelance writer, editor and media consultant, last week would’ve been it.
I started the week energized, feeling for the first time in years that I was at the mouth of a vast tunnel, beginning an exciting and important journey. While I can’t see exactly what’s waiting for me at the end of this new tunnel, there’s an intense, vivid light beckoning me forward. Last week, I took my first steps toward it.
0 Comments
 So I’ve got this coffee mug (pictured at left) that has adorned every desk I’ve occupied during my 15 years in the professional world. I hadn’t thought about it in a long time until this past Friday, when I gingerly wrapped it in newspaper and packed it into a box with the rest of the junk from what I hope was my last corporate job.
The mug had become much more of an ornament than a drinking vessel in recent years, so it was gathering dust high on a shelf at my last gig. There was a time in the late 90s, however, when it supplied my daily dose of dirty hot water, er, office-grade java. (So I’m a coffee snob, sue me!)  As I prepare to take my leave of the daily 9 to 5 of the corporate world in just two short weeks, I’ve been thinking about what working for myself – specifically from my home office – will look like for me.
Obviously, I’m beyond exhilarated to become my own boss for the first time. Since I’ve never done it before, though, I imagine there’ll be a pretty big learning curve. It’s probably going to take me awhile to get my sea legs under me. In addition to doing some mad business development during the past six months, I’ve made it a point to pick the brains of other successful freelancers and home-based solo practitioners, in the hopes that I can learn from mistakes they have already made.  To quote one of my favorite movie characters, Clark Griswald: “Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where’s the Tylenol?”
OK, let me ’splain. On Monday of this week, I quit a steady, full-time, salaried job to follow my bliss as a freelance writer, editor and media consultant. It's official, I iz an entrepreneur. Without a safety net. For the first time, well… ever. Goodbye regular paycheck, hello risk and uncertainty. Can you say, “dramatic lifestyle change??” Eeek! Yep, I am definitely feeling equal parts hallelujah and holy shit, with a generous side of acetaminophen required.  I’m sure that just about everyone struggles with self-doubt from time to time. I’ve experienced lots of self-deprecating moments throughout my adult life. I’ve questioned my judgment on everything from my career path to parenting to relationships.
Hell, I’ve beaten myself up over a decision as simple as a coffeemaker purchase. Most of these moments are fleeting, and an internal pep talk gets my self-esteem out of the gutter and back to reality pretty fast. I gotta say, though, making the choice to build a freelance writing and media consulting business and be my own boss has really put my confidence to the test. I have had more “WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?” episodes in the past six months than I’ve had in all my prior years on this planet.  In November, I wrote a post I called, "An open letter to my teen-age son." It was exactly what it sounds like – a letter, addressed to my kid. I think it was an especially effective piece of writing, and I enjoyed expressing my thoughts in that format. Since then, I’ve been trying to come up with another topic I could explore in letter form, and I got to thinking about what I might say to myself as a teen. Here’s one possible approach. (And, yes, like most of my posts, it is completely self-indulgent. Sue me.)
Dear Amy (age 16): Ah, you sweet, shy, little perfectionist. First and foremost, calm down! The journey that gets you to where I am today (um, you, at age 40), is worth all the time and trouble. I wouldn’t want you to change a thing because I really like you, um… me … these days. |
About Amy HiggsA former newspaper columnist, Amy takes her random, slice-of-life stories to the web. After 12 years, she's still just saying. Archives
September 2020
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed