So, I Quit My Job…

Yep. I finally quit the 9-5 rat race to pursue something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. I’d been thinking about freelancing for a couple of years, but I kept putting it off with excuses like “What about insurance?” or “I’m responsible for two kids”. Basically looking for any reason I could to avoid the risk that I so desperately wanted to take.

So here we are. I’m self-employed. What changed, you ask? Well, 2020 happened. In the span of four months, I brought home a newborn, moved cross-country and had to put my dog down. Oh yeah, and there was the pandemic. I was juggling so much: dealing with postpartum hormones, trying to figure out how to manage a home with a new human, feeling unsupported, overwhelmed and exhausted. Something had to give. I needed more space, physically, mentally and emotionally.

At the end of 2020 (yes, I survived the year of chaos…barely), I started planning a new life for myself. I wanted to focus on work that I was passionate about while having the ability to manage my day as I saw fit. I told myself it was time to make my freelancing dream a reality. But as 2021 came and went, I still didn’t have the courage to call it quits at my agency job. Imposter syndrome has always been a dream killer for me, and it had hijacked my mind once again. (Stay tuned for a blog post on that topic!) The more I thought about making a change, the harder I clung to my stable job and consistent paycheck. Finally, in April 2021, I learned that the main account I worked on at my 9-5 was being transitioned to another agency. It was the push I needed to make my move.

As they say, the rest is history. It’s mid-June, and I’m already three months into my freelancing adventure. As you can expect, there have been lots of ups, downs and in-betweens. I set a modest goal and promised that I would give myself one year to get this thing off the ground. I’m taking the summer to organize myself, create a business plan and identify my ideal clients. I’m also making lots of time for toddler snuggles, outdoor playdates, reading and practicing presence. I’m hoping to share my year-long journey here as inspiration for those of you who want to do something big but haven’t quite mustered up the courage to make it happen just yet. I feel you. It isn’t easy to reconfigure your life. But sometimes, it’s necessary.