The Anxious Life of a Freelancer

I'm a freelancer. I write and research for clients from all over the globe. I like what I do. I mean, it provides a certain amount of creativity and freedom that more conventional jobs don't. I can take my work anywhere. I can live anywhere. As long as I have my laptop and a decent WIFI connection, the possibilities are endless. But as with anything, there can be a downside to freelancing. As in—

Where is my next paycheck going to come from?

I remember one month when I lost 75% of my clients. Businesses have to downsize at times, and often it's the freelance writer that gets the boot. In fact, as we speak, I just opened up an email letting me know there would be less work in the coming months than I'd counted on having.

Freelancing is ripe with uncertainty.

And uncertainty breeds stress and anxiety. You also have to be a self-starter to be successful as a freelancer. You need to motivate yourself and set your own deadlines. No one else is going to tell you what to do and when to do it. By and large, you are your own boss. It's takes an independent spirit to excel at freelancing. 

With time, I've learned to cope in a healthy way. With mental strength and fortitude, I've grown very much at home in my role as a self-employed writer. 

Photo by Crew