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January 2021. We did it. We’re here. Who’s breathing a sigh of relief? Who’s already screaming into a pillow/at the wall? Who’s just waking up?
I was intrigued at the end of 2020, there seemed to be two camps when it came to leaving behind THE year: Some were saying a strong ‘eff off’ to the year just gone, while others were choosing to celebrate wins. Some chose to watch old careers fade, others were forced to (and perhaps relieved to), while some started new ones and some were watching new side-hustles grow. Some freelancers found new clients, new ways to do business, or thrived thanks to the online world we found – and find – ourselves living in.
Among the awful of 2020, there seemed to be hope. And that’s what I wanted to focus on for this first newsletter of the new year. It’s a year since I launched the newsletter, and I’ve realised how important it is to try and find a very different theme each month! I had plotted a missive on resolutions, and indeed not having them, looking at rebelling against resolutions. A resolution revolution! But the feeling of hopes and dreams kept coming back to me. Right now, I think for many of us it’s hard to have any hope or dreams for our self employed life or small business. To say the year gone by has been tough on the self-employed is more than an understatement. The SEISS grant was a double-edged sword, those who didn’t get it (me) worrying about cashflow, those who did also worrying and wondering if it would affect future plans (mortgages, credit rating). Either way, we were branded – and felt – ‘the forgotten’.
It’s hard to dream when you’re wondering how you’ll pay the most basic of bills. When you’re trying to get a delivery slot for the supermarket, perhaps home-schooling (does puppy wrangling count?), changing life plans or just trying to survive day to day. It’s hard to hope for your business when your business is on its knees, or, even if it’s thriving, to hope that it will continue to do so without a thread of fear weaving its way through the feels.
But I believe we really must keep on hoping for our freelance lives. I think it’s one of the biggest foundation stones of our lives as freelancers, and we need to keep trying to envision a future which is successful – whatever that means for us – that lets us live our lives the way we want to, and which is in line with our values.
Dreaming might seem indulgent when the world seems to be burning around us. But taking time to think about the things we long for and want to achieve for our business is hugely important.
Sometimes we need to re-write the narrative of what we’re plotting, and I am inspired daily by a picture a very good friend bought me. It reads ‘Try telling yourself a different story’ and is by Oh Squirrel. Here’s the insta so you can have a look at all the lovely designs.
Celebrating the freelance wins
I can’t lie, 2020 had some freelance wins for me. Yes, some fails, too, and I’ll come to those! I committed to my training as a coach and I have worked with some pro bono clients and am about to start working with some clients who are paying. I’ve also launched a group course which begins today and am planning more workshops for Feb as well as committing to a website revamp. 2020 also saw me move house, which meant a commitment to a new kind of freelancing. This time last year I was working with a magazine publisher, doing what they call shifts - essentially freelance temping. I’ve done it for many years, on and off, and it’s been a good balance for me as it gives office time without the office whine.
But I knew deep down I wanted to be like ‘all the other freelancers’ and work fully from home, to not be beholden to anyone else. When you do shifts it is like you’re a member of staff in many ways, and there is the commute, the set lunchbreak, the accountability in your working day. I wanted to say goodbye to that, and I have done, thanks in part to not being near enough London to do it anymore. Partly, also, because of Covid. Because there are no in-house shifts to be doing.
Noting the freelance fails
So, what of the fails? Well, I didn’t earn much, that’s for sure. I’ve worried daily about cashflow, berating myself and wondering if I should just go get a ‘real job’. I’ve spent too much time doom scrolling on Instagram, and tried to address that with a break over Christmas. I’ve told myself often that I’m rubbish, a failure. I feel like I could have done more blog posts and organised the podcast schedule better. I failed at pitching a lot (eg didn’t get commissioned!). And my desk isn’t and probably never will be super tidy.
So, what do I hope for in 2021?
There’s the coaching, of course. I hope it’ll become my biggest part of the business, and that I will write mainly on the niche self-employment and freelancing. Big goals wise I want to be speaking on panels – let’s put Stylist Live into the universe, why not! – and collaborating with other freelance thought leaders on workshops.
I hope for peace and contentment with what I’ve got and where I’m at, instead of always chasing the biggest goal and dream. For fuller coffers rather than a million quid. I dream of a freelance life where I judge myself less! I dream of commissions from editors who are kind and fit with my values, and I dream of another year where I can say proudly ‘I’m freelance’. I hope to be kinder to myself with the words I use, and to embrace the flexible lifestyle I see others living!
Some ways to tap into the hopes and dreams
I wanted to try and bring something practical this month, to channel all this. So here are a few ways you can try and get positive with your freelance life this month:
Make a list of your wins. If you haven’t already done so, write down things that have gone right for your business in 2020. What did you try hard at? What was challenging and you managed to do? What pleased you? What was a good thing? You don’t have to share it with anyone if you don’t want to. This is for you!
Pick a word of the year. Many people have a word of the year, something they choose as the year begins, to focus on and give them clarity. I first did this at the suggestion of a very wise friend who I have worked with as a therapist and also used as an expert in features many times. Another friend messaged me asking if I had a word, so I pondered on it, and this year settled on ‘courage’, which for me is all about daring to keep following the path I’ve chosen with coaching. Courage to send emails to people to be guests on the podcast, and to shout louder about what I can offer. What will your word be? The idea is that you pick a word and then see how it feels – is it the right word for you? Let it sit with you, reflect on it. Then perhaps even add it to your mood board if you have one.
Make a mood board. Talking of mood boards, I’ve revamped mine for the new year. It’s a fun thing to do, and you can either use a board, paper, a word document or even an app like Canva. Play around with images representing what you want to achieve. Mine’s below for inspo.
Write a letter to future you. Tell yourself the things you’re hoping for this year, the things you dream of. Seal it, and write a date on the envelope when you can open it again and see what’s come true, how far you’ve made it with the goals.
Try coaching. Ok, that feels a bit pluggy, but, well, it is changing things so dramatically for me, that I’d recommend giving it a try. It doesn’t have to be with me – if you are keen for a recommendation, I know others on my course who might be looking for new clients. If you do fancy working with me, give me a shout and we can do a call to chat about it.
As always, if you try any of the above and want to share and tag me, I’ll repost or share on my stories, too.
Listen, read, subscribe….
I’ve had a ponder on the sections I had last year, and am going to end the newsletter each month this year with something similar… ‘Listen, read, subscribe’ will be things I’ve spotted, been enjoying or written that might be of interest…
Listen: Last year the theme of the newsletter was Freelance Dry January, and this year I’m actually doing real Dry January - inspired by my latest podcast guest Millie Gooch. She is self-employed and the founder of The Sober Girl Society - have a listen to her tips and advice as well as her experiences of being sober and freelance on the podcast and you can buy her book from Jan 14th.
Read: I got some great books for Christmas, and the one I’m really into is The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn. It’s humbling and inspiring to read her story of coming back to ‘real life’ after spending time homeless and walking a coastal path with her husband.
Subscribe: Another Door is all about recovering from redundancy - something it’s taken me years to do. There’s also a book if you fancy it, and coaching. Eleanor, who runs it, is on my coaching course and a lovely soul!
Until next month!
Keep hoping and dreaming!
Jenny 🌵
Enjoy:
