In This Economy?

Jul 21, 2024

Hello again friends,

Due to the chaos of summer, it’s been almost a month since I’ve written. We’ve had friends visiting, a broken water pump, a camping trip, and lots of other life stuff that has prevented me from sitting down to write as I normally would. During all of this, I’ve come across some delays in my client projects, which has been the cherry on top of the chaos.

a blurry photo of trees in a park — Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

When I started freelancing, I told myself I would have a trial period of 3 months, and then evaluate how everything is going. It has been almost 4 months now, and I can say it’s been the most creatively rewarding experience, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel some pressure financially to keep up.

I know that everyone talks about the highs and lows, the ebbs and flows, of freelancing. Yet, it still feels so taboo to talk about the struggle when you do come across it. As a freelancer, and business owner, you want to be perceived as in-demand. There’s a fake-it-til-you-make-it attitude attached to it.

a person standing on a cliff — Photo by Taylor Brandon on Unsplash

While this attitude has its merits, it’s an intricate balance. Not only that, but everyone is struggling right now. We live in a constant state of unprecedented times. Being able to survive as a creative person right now is nothing short of a miracle.

At the end of the day, we all have to do what we have to do. There’s no shame in that. You’re still a creative no matter how you pay the bills. Whether you have a part-time job to support your full-time passion, a full-time job to support your part-time passion, or anything in between.

photo of gray pavement — Photo by Anthony Young on Unsplash

There are endless ways to make money in today’s world. For myself, I’ve taken other’s advice in diversifying my income, so it doesn’t all come from just client work. I’ve experimented with having my print store, offering different services, making YouTube videos and other personal projects during my free time, and later this month I’ll be attending my first in-person market, to name a few.

I know that these moments are only temporary, but as an anxious person, it can be hard not to constantly think about it. Maybe the anxiousness will pan out in the end, due to it pushing me to explore all of these possible avenues. It’s all a part of the journey, and that’s okay.