I’ve been thinking a lot about where I’m headed next. From career to life, change is a necessary part of progress. But what direction do you take? And how can you make it work when you feel like there are things holding you back?
Lately, I’ve been considering a bit of a change — or at least a small shift in direction. I’m at a point where I think I want to do something a little bit different, but I’m not quite sure how to accomplish it.
How Much Writing Do I Want To Do For Others?
I love what I do. I enjoy freelancing writing, and I’ve decided that I enjoy telling people that I’m a professional blogger. However, there are days when I look at the number of posts I write for others, and wish the list were a little bit shorter.
Do I want to give up writing for others? Not at all. But I do wish I had more time for my own projects. I’d like more time to work on my own blog, and develop that. I would also like more time to perhaps write a book. I have a rough idea in my head, but so far I haven’t even found the time to create a basic outline.
So, while I have a schedule I like, for the most part, I want a little more time to pursue some other projects. I’m not going to give up time with my family, so it means that I need to figure out how to give up a little more work.
Worry: What Will I Do for Income?
Last year, I cut back writing for the sake of my personal life, and I’ve not missed the money. We haven’t needed it. This next alteration in direction is a little different, though. My husband is still trying to find a full-time position (adjuncts are popular right now, the job market for full-time professors is competitive); his irregular adjunct income can’t really be relied on.
Like many of those in more traditional 9-to-5 jobs, I’m trying to figure out if my emergency fund can handle the situation until other projects take off. That’s the risk. When I first started freelancing online, there wasn’t much risk. I had just finished school, so I wasn’t making any money. We had been living dirt poor in Syracuse, New York, so moving to Utah, with its lower cost of living, meant that my husband’s research stipend and student loans seemed almost luxurious.
Now, though, the situation has changed. While I like to think that we live fairly simply, the truth is that we have a much more expensive lifestyle than when we first moved here. And we’ve become used to the things we like doing, like traveling, going to sporting events, and eating out. We may have a modest home and relatively few possessions, but we like to do things.
So, my next step requires a little money management. But I’d like to head in that direction, and not be held back by what seems to be financial necessity.
What about you? What direction are you headed? And what roadblocks are in your way?
I’m in a similar situation like you in that I want to pursue more personal projects. It’s hard because we are looking at a potential move and we’re living off our emergency fund at the moment. I think in the end, you need to take stock of your long term goals, because it isn’t always about money. I think if you want something badly enough you’ll find a way to make it happen. Money is one of those fears or excuses that hold too many people from doing what they truly want.