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Launch & grow your freelance writing career... even if you don't have experience!

5 Truths About Freelancing You Need to Hear—Especially if You’re Struggling - Freelance Writing Cafe

5 Truths About Freelancing You Need to Hear—Especially if You’re Struggling

July 29, 2020 · In: Freelance Work-Life Balance

Hey, freelance writer pal. I see you at your desk late night, juggling multiple projects, processing rejections, trying to figure out your rates, and feeling unsure whether you have what it takes.

I’ve been you, in fact. And I know what you’re going through. This stuff isn’t easy.

And I think most would agree that freelancers could all use a hug right now.

Our world is in a constant state of flux as inspiring signs change and terrifying threats seem to pop up in our news feeds multiple times per day. We’ve already chosen the path less traveled as a means of securing our livelihoods… so it’s possible you’re feeling more anxiety than ever.

Today, I’m inviting you to stop beating yourself up, turn down the panic dial, and embrace a few universal truths about freelancing.

I hope these will remind you to be easy on yourself—and even set you free from the constant second-guessing.

 

You are not a machine.

 

Contrary to the meme you just read about hustle and grind, you’re not a machine! You’re a human.

You have to take care of yourself the way you’d expect any caretaker to care for a human. You’re not the exception just because you’re you.

Make sense?

That means you can’t just drink an espresso and pull an all-nighter without the consequences creeping up to you.

And you can’t get your entire life and career together in a single “catch up weekend” after months of procrastination and being stretched too thin.

Whatever your goals might be, you’ll need to formulate your attack plan—and calibrate your expectations—based on your human needs. Not in spite of them.

That might mean adding extra lead time to projects, rejecting clients that stress you out, and adjusting policies to increase your quality of life.

It might also mean saying no to social obligations, postponing house keeping and at-home projects, or thinning out you to-do list to give yourself some breathing room.

And it definitely means eating well, getting ample sleep, and keeping tabs on your mental health through journaling, therapy, and whatever means you’ve decided to try.

You don’t need me to remind you that our work entails more than just delivering projects to clients. We also do our own marketing, lead generation and client vetting, project management, billing… the list goes on.

Most 9-5 employees can’t imagine all of the hats we wear. There are entire departments at most companies for things we single-handedly facilitate.

It’s reasonable and expected that you need mega doses of self-care to thrive as a freelancer, and no amount of hustle can replace that.

Nourish and love yourself first, so you, your clients—and everyone else in your life—get the best of you. Not what’s left of you.

“Self care is giving the world the best of you. Not what’s left of you.” —Katie Reed.

 

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Open a Google doc or a new page in your notebook. List out all of the things you need to do next week. If you can’t even list them or feel overwhelmed at the very thought, it’s time for some change.

 

Go through your calendar and your to-do list and cross off items that are superfluous or that you’ve accepted out of guilt.

 

Highlight the things that are 100% crucial and non-negotiable.

 

Assess those in-between items. Can you delegate them to a virtual assistant? Can you batch the and complete them more efficiently? Can you repurpose similar work to fast track the process?

 

Imagine you were looking at a friend’s to-do list and helping them make sense of it. This can help you see things more objectively.

 

You’re allowed to have crappy, stay-in-bed days.

 

You’re 100% allowed to have days where you don’t want to get out of bed. And when they happen, you’re allowed to stay in bed.

You’re also allowed days where you don’t “love” your work—or when you’re downright sick of it.

You’re allowed to roll your eyes internally when friends say how lucky you are to be a freelancer. They might see the benefits without seeing the hard work you’re putting in.

And we can’t blame them, because to many, our lives are sort of a mystery! 😉 *Cue James Bond theme*

Any remote writer will tell you their life isn’t all about posting laptop-at-the-beach photos, even when they are literally posting laptop-at-the-beach photos.

Those who work from home know how tough that can be as well, especially with family members, pets, house work, and significant others in the vicinity.

As I mentioned above, we handle a lot on a weekly basis.

Even when we’re doing our best with self-care, the yin and yang of the universe means some days will be worse than others.

This doesn’t mean you’re inferior to the freelancers on your IG feed who seem to have it all together.

They have bad days, too. We all do!

I think it’s time to normalize bad days (like, really bad ones), validate them, and give them space when they happen.

While we’re #blessed to be freelancers for a multitude of reasons, this human experience of ours is messy and complex—see point #1—and that should be okay.

Expect bad days to happen.

When they do, don’t feel guilty.

It’s a valid head space to be in, and you shouldn’t be expected to snap your fingers and make it go away.

 

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It might help to have a “bad day kit” prepared for perking yourself up (tea, uplifting podcasts, CBD oil?), but also, don’t be obsessed with perking up. We’re not supposed to be bright and bubbly every day of our lives.

 

If something is bothering you or you feel like crap, take some time to assess what’s wrong so you can understand the source of the issue.

 

Maybe you’re overwhelmed. Maybe a client rejection is still eating away at you and it’s time to officially let it go. Maybe you need to eat some damn vegetables.

 

Or maybe it’s something deeper and it’s time to reach out for some help.

 

You don’t have to document or make any kind of social media post about your bad day to explain why you’re not online.

 

Failing doesn’t make you a failure.

 

When was the last time you messed up communications with a client, got way too close to missing a deadline, or made a silly mistake that felt embarrassing?

I’ve done all of these this week. 😀

In the past, my blunders have been far more dramatic: I’ve missed deadlines and meetings entirely, had my phone overheat and die in the middle of negotiating a $20k contract, and plenty more.

Closer to the beginning of my career I lost dream opportunities with companies for not being up to par—and even actively sabotaging myself.

But you can bet all of these situations resulted in me pulling myself up off the floor and getting back on the horse, quick.

Nothing helps you see opportunities to improve quite like completely screwing up.

But see, that’s the cool thing about what we do. Freelancing is experimental in nature. A lot of mistakes and “failures” will occur, no matter how new or experienced you are.

We’re always doing new things and challenging ourselves, and it would be ridiculous to expect victory every time—maybe even a little boring.

You can think of your entire career as an active evolution of your skills and value. Don’t feel down on yourself when you inevitably mess up.

Instead, take it all in stride. Dust yourself off. Take notes on what you learned.

Each “failure” is actually helping you grow into a better freelancer and human in general.

You may have heard the phrase “fail fast, fail often”. It’s popular in the online entrepreneur space.

It alludes to this same idea that the more you screw up, the more opportunities you’ll have to learn—and thus, the faster you’ll grow.

This mentality is pretty bullet proof, as long as you translate “failure” to learning opportunities and don’t get caught up on being wrong.

You can actually do yourself a favor by taking more risks, taking on bigger challenges, and just making decisions more quickly… even if the result is that you mess up sometimes.

Practice leaving your ego at the door. Remind yourself that a failure is a chance to improve, and nothing more. It’s a neutral outcome.

The only reason you’re obsessed with not making mistakes is because your ego doesn’t like looking bad.

But your ego will keep you comfortable and stagnant if you let it run the show.

 

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You know that email you’ve been meaning to send, but have been to nervous about?

 

Or that project that you’d need to learn a new skill to take on? Or that niche pivot you know is right, but feels like a risk?

 

Now is the time to go for it!

 

As long as you’re not jeopardizing a client’s business or being genuinely careless, get used to taking regular risks in your freelance career.

 

Sometimes you’ll surprise yourself and completely nail it—and other times, you’ll mess up and learn from it.

 

Comment below with one risk you plan to take this week!

 

You are brave AF.

 

Are you actually aware of how awesome you are?

Like, actually aware?

I’ve made the case many times that freelancing is actually more secure in the long-run than having a single 9-5 job that could be taken away at any moment… but that doesn’t mean freelancing is for the faint of heart.

In fact, freelancing requires a pretty intense level of bravery, along with the will to face down fears and advocate for oneself.

You’re living some folks’ dreams on a daily basis and juggling more each day than most can imagine. We touched on that above, but it is worth repeating!

You’re a trailblazer. No one has a road map, including you, but you’re doing it. You’re showing up each day, figuring this stuff out, and turning empty space into opportunity at every turn.

The fact that you’re even reading this post means you’ve shown up to fight for yourself and your career—and you’re doing it with grace and composure on top of that.

So, can I just tell you how proud I am of you?

Freelancing means trading in the generic workweek routine—one many of us were taught is the ultimate goal and mark of success—for a life that’s entirely self-directed.

We traded in what is sold to us as stability for a new kind of stable: one that relies on us as the nucleus, rather than us relying on a corporate entity.

So the next time you notice self-doubt creeping in, or you’re being mean to yourself in your mind, shut that inner-critic down. Reacquaint yourself with your inner badass.

Remember how brave you are for doing this in the first place. You deserve to be recognized.

 

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Making mental shifts is tough, but this is one we all have to practice.

 

When you hear your inner voice talking you down or belittling your own efforts, catch those thoughts in their tracks.

 

Get in the habit of saying “Actually, I’m brave AF” instead—or whatever works for you. My mentors encouraged me to keep a journal and literally track when nasty self-defeating thoughts come in, in order to flip them into more positive ones.

 

I can see this method working extremely well for self-talk in this case, too.

 

Track your thoughts this week and don’t allow any nonsense about how you’re “not experienced enough”, “not good enough”, etc.

 

Come up with a self-celebratory phrase that you’ll recite in place of those thoughts instead.

 

You’ll find that it becomes second-nature to catch and cancel those low vibe thoughts after just a few days of tracking.

 

 

You are the captain of your own ship.

 

Finally, I want to touch on a point that is easy to forget when we’re in the midst of a whirlwind week, managing various projects, and buried in to-do list tasks.

You run this show, my friend.

If something isn’t working for you and it’s causing repeat bad days (or weeks, or months), you have the power to switch it up.

The trouble is, we’re all so used to answering to someone else that we forget we have this power at all.

We create circumstances at the beginning of our career and then we feel stuck when we outgrow them.

It’s kind of like moving into a new house and putting your furniture wherever. You tend to leave things where they are for no other reason than “this is how I first set it up!”

Then, life gets busy again and you have other things to focus on.

But is that setup really serving you, or is it actually not very convenient?

Think of your freelance business the same way. You don’t have to leave things “as is” because you arranged them a certain way at the beginning.

You’re allowed to change whatever you want. It’s your business.

You get to decide the experience you create, from your color palette to your offerings to the way people feel when they interact with you.

This also includes the way you feel when you’re working in your freelance business.

You likely started freelancing for a sense of freedom and jurisdiction over your own life, so why aren’t you utilizing that power?

Embrace the design of your own freelance experience.

You wake up every day and create your future, making you the most brilliant kind of artist.

And that is pretty damn cool.

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Today, decide what needs to change.

 

Do you want Wednesdays off? Or to only take client calls on Tuesday mornings?

 

Do you want to stop working with mass market companies entirely? Or to start charging late fees on missed payments?

 

Do you want to stop writing about a niche that feels heavy and start writing about something light and fun?

 

Or stop writing about light fluffy products and focus on changing the world?!

 

Your need and wants are valid, and they should be reflected in your decision making when you’re setting up—and evolving—the way you work.

 

*

 

At the end of the day, it’s nothing short of miraculous what freelance writers can do.

Not only can they write, which is a coveted skill itself, but they also conceptualize their brands, execute project management, schedule appointments, close sales, create onboarding and training materials, update their own blogs and social media accounts… the list goes on.

Are you giving yourself enough credit today?

If not, get on board the self-love train! I salute you for all of the awesomeness you bring to the table each day.

*

If you need some guidance on how to take better care of yourself, I recommend checking out the final video of last year’s challenge in the Facebook group, Self-Care For Freelance Writers:

 

 

If you’re having a tough day/week/month, come to the Freelance Writing Cafe Facebook group and meet other freelancer writers who understand. We’ve got your back.

And don’t forget to jump on our mailing list below! We send out an uplifting newsletter for freelance writers (almost) every week.

 

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By: Michelle Christina · In: Freelance Work-Life Balance · Tagged: Be Kind to Yourself, Freelance writer be good to yourself, Freelance writer be kind to yourself, Freelance writer self care, Freelance writer self love, Truths About Freelancing, What Every Freelance Writer Needs to Hear

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🍁 NOVEMBER FREELANCE WRITER CHECK-IN 🍁 A fe 🍁 NOVEMBER FREELANCE WRITER CHECK-IN 🍁

A few questions to ask yourself as we transition into a new month:

☕️ How are you feeling about your goals so far this year? If you're feeling behind or overwhelmed, remember that while we're nearing the end of 2022, it's not over yet!

☕️ On a scale of 1-10, how strongly do you feel that you'll hit your goals this year? What needs to happen in order for you to hit those goals?

☕️ Write down 1 thing you'll take action on for each remaining month of 2022 to finish the year strong.

☕️ Write down 1 thing you'll do each week to ensure you stay on track. This might mean: booking a weekly discovery call, writing a niche-specific blog post, reaching out to past clients, etc.

☕️ It's not all about hustling! How can you take better care of yourself through the end of 2022 so you FEEL good and can show up as your best self in your freelancing career?

Wishing you a productive, healthy November!

#freelancewritingcafe #freelancewriter #freelancewriting #freelancewriters #freelanceinspiration #freelancewritertips #freelancewritingtips #freelancewritingsuccess #freelancewritingbusiness #freelancingfemales #womenwhowrite #writersofinstagram #freelancesuccesstips #freelancesuccess #upworkfreelancer #freelancelifestyle #freelancelife #writerslife #remoteworker #remotefreelancer #remotewriter #workfromanywhere #workhardanywhere #mobileoffice
Are we getting desperate? ⚠️ There's a hint o Are we getting desperate? ⚠️

There's a hint of panic in the freelance community re: decreased workloads, low-paying clients, inflation... These fears are valid, but is this energy we can rise up and ✨prosper✨ in?

I won't say it's impossible to build a career out of desperation. That "oh sh*t" moment can lead to extraordinary results. But if you stay in desperate energy, you'll operate from there (which clients see as a red flag).

Like it or not, being an energy match for a client is a big deal. They want focused problem-solvers who can get results. When your stress seeps into your interactions, you could be scaring those high-quality gigs away.

It goes like this...
📌 Freelancer: *Panics about money*
📌 Client: *Senses desperation, doesn't hire them*
📌 Freelancer: *Confirms fears, continues to panic*
(The cycle perpetuates!)

A subtle mindset shift can help:

☕️ Be aware of inner dialogue and how it leads to self-sabotage. Are you sending sob stories with pitches? Alluding to needing money immediately in ANY way? Cutting corners to get paid faster?

☕️ Flip the script. Yesterday's failure doesn't mean today will be the same. Society's panic doesn't mean you need to spiral. This is a new day full of new opportunities, new clients, and new ways to collaborate. 

☕️ A recession means clients are more eager than EVER for ways to reach their own customers... and that's your specialty! This is your time.

☕️ Give yourself a break. If nothing's been going your way, remember: nothing is permanent. Take a day off and ease up on yourself. You can't pour from an empty glass.

Chin up, writers. You won't only "get through this", you'll thrive! ✨

#freelancewritingcafe #freelancewriter #freelancewriting #freelancewriters #freelanceinspiration #freelancewritertips #freelancewritingtips #freelancewritingsuccess #freelancewritingbusiness #freelancingfemales #womenwhowrite #writersofinstagram #freelancesuccesstips #freelancesuccess #upworkfreelancer #freelancelifestyle #freelancelife #writerslife #remoteworker #remotefreelancer #remotewriter #workfromanywhere #workhardanywhere #mobileoffice
Why become a freelance writer in 2022? 🤔 ☀️ Why become a freelance writer in 2022? 🤔
☀️ YOU DECIDE THE SCHEDULE. Rather avoid the "Sunday scaries" by taking Mondays off? No prob! Wanna schedule client calls on Wednesdays only? Do it. Prefer to get your work done before 11am? Why not? Craving midday naps? Go for it! 

☀️ YOU DECIDE WHO YOUR CLIENTS ARE. Learning who you work well with is a process—and it usually comes with a few blips along the way—but it's one of the most liberating aspects of freelancing. You have the power to turn down anyone who doesn't fit your ideal (or close to ideal) client avatar.

☀️ YOU DECIDE YOUR RATES. How much are your services worth? You make that decision based on your niche, value, and income goals. That means you decide how much money you're making this week/month/year. That also means you get to tweak your rates until they're working for you.

☀️ YOU DECIDE YOUR RULES. Your policies will shape the way you work. You get to create/change them as your career evolves. Examples? Don't text with clients or accept unplanned calls. Don't do endless revisions. Don't do rush jobs without a rush fee... etc. Your choice.

☀️ YOU DECIDE YOUR LOCATION. I decided to freelance because being in an office was killing my creativity, productivity and nervous system. The freedom to work from a home office or anywhere in the world means I can deliver work I'm proud of and build a career that works FOR my life, not against it.

Can you think of any other reasons being a freelance writer is awesome? Let's hear them! 👇👇

#freelancewritingcafe #freelancewriter #freelancewriting #freelancewriters #freelanceinspiration #freelancewritertips #freelancewritingtips #freelancewritingsuccess #freelancewritingbusiness #freelancingfemales #womenwhowrite #writersofinstagram #freelancesuccesstips #freelancesuccess #upworkfreelancer #freelancelifestyle #freelancelife #writerslife #remoteworker #remotefreelancer #remotewriter #workfromanywhere #workhardanywhere #mobileoffice
What keeps you going when freelancing gets tough? What keeps you going when freelancing gets tough? 🪫

So many of us are struggling right now because of the economy's steep fluctuation and clients cutting back on budgets (on top of summer being a dry season for many). 

But we both know you're NOT just going to throw in the towel when faced with a challenge, right? 🤔 You're a problem solver, after all. That's one of the reasons you're such an awesome freelancer. ✌️

The truth is, in any economic situation, regardless of the season or circumstances, there are ALWAYS ways to thrive. 

There are clients who need writers. There are opportunities to uncover. The sheer number of businesses and organizations who need recurring marketing copy and content on a weekly basis is wild (with new ones popping up all the time). Just one example. There's 💵 to be made! 

So while you seek those opportunities out, grow your network, and polish your optimism, here's one more thing you can do to battle the "woe is me" energy that's bringing down your vibe:

✨✨ Remember WHY you started freelancing in the first place!

Remember why it's so important to you. Remember why you're made for this. Remember previous challenges you've overcome because you weren't about to give up on your ultimate goal. 

✈️ For some that's location freedom. 
📋 For some it's schedule freedom. 
💰 For some it's uncapped income. 
💓 For some it's "I'm the boss" energy.

Maybe all of these! Whatever it is for you, call it forth. When you're clear on your goal, your creative problem solving and resourceful nature will shine as a natural result.

And, as always, we are here to help! 🤓 What's one challenge you're facing in your freelance career right now? Any tips for fellow freelancers? 👇👇

#freelancewritingcafe #freelancewriter #freelancewriting #freelancewriters #freelanceinspiration #freelancewritertips #freelancewritingtips #freelancewritingsuccess #freelancewritingbusiness #freelancingfemales #womenwhowrite #writersofinstagram #freelancesuccesstips #freelancesuccess #upworkfreelancer #freelancelifestyle #freelancelife #writerslife #remoteworker #remotefreelancer #remotewriter #workfromanywhere #workhardanywhere #mobileoffice

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