Freelacing is a superpower
Working a salaried job in a (relatively) safe sector straight out of college felt like the right move. And for all intents and purposes, it was. I got paid each month. I knew when I’d be working and when I wouldn’t.
But then, not long into my first role, before I’d even finished my apprenticeship, I was made redundant. The ‘ship’ had sunk. Suddenly, I had to find a new job, and fast. I felt like the air was escaping the life raft with every passing second. There was no time to dream about marketing or new industries. Just get another banking job, same as before.
Interview 1. Interview 2. Interview 3… OFFER!
Phew. That was close. The world almost ended.
That was me, three years into working life. The truth? I still lived at home with a stable and supportive family. There was no real danger. But it felt real.
Why?
Fast forward to 2024, and I voluntarily walked away from that “comfortable” banking career to swim into unknown waters to build something that belonged entirely to me.
There were tears!
Tears of fear.
Tears that I might fail.
Tears that my parents would never have anything to be proud of me for again.
No more promotions. No more bonuses. Just the daily hustle.
It’s wild how we can work ourselves up into a panic, convincing ourselves that if we leave stability, the world might collapse. And that fear? That’s what holds so many of us back from trying something different.
Truthfully, there were months when the income didn’t come. When I panicked. When I doubted everything. But those months forced me to adapt, to swim harder, learn faster, push further. And eventually… I started flying.
Today, I’m moving faster than I ever thought I could. I no longer feel like the world is ending. I feel capable. Self-reliant. Energised.
Freelancing, or building something of your own, reveals your power. You stop depending on the net and realise you’ve built wings. And even though my journey isn’t universal, I know I’m not alone in this feeling.
And as for my parents?
They’ve been proud, really proud, of the micro and macro wins I’ve had over the last two years. Much more than ever before.
So maybe this helps someone.
Or maybe it just proves what I now believe:
Freelancing is a superpower.
