It’s been just over one month since I took that step to follow my dreams and go full time with Bellano Web Studio.
I’m officially self-employed. So far it’s wonderful and a bit terrifying. I had to purchase my own health insurance. I realized this morning that the mortgage is due tomorrow which set off a moment of panic until I remembered the money is in the bank. Now to replace that money before September 7th. Freedom is, freeing and but a bit scarey when you have lived a lifetime of meeting a schedule set by school, raising kids, or working.
The working for myself dream is a reality now. There are a few kinks I need to work out but 32 days later I can say it was a great move.
The winning list:
- No alarm clock, I just wake up when I’m ready. Some mornings it’s early because work that needs to be done pops into my head at 7:30 and my mental to-do list starts building and prods me out of bed. Days like today I sleep a bit later, because I did sleep well and I just did four 10 to 12 hours days in a row. I’m not a morning person at all.
- No commute. That’s an hour and a half more for work! Or fun.
- Rearranging my days as needed.
- Working outside. I love my patio. Last week I worked outside for two hours in the middle of a rain storm. Now that is great office ambiance. I think I’m going to get a little table so I can work outside more often. I had a window at work but now I can see the whole sky. The clouds are a beautiful screensaver to gaze at when I’m thinking.
- When I need a little break to recharge my creativity, I go paint something or get crafty for an hour.
- I can turn my music up as loud as I want.
The challenges:
- Did I mention those 10-12 hour days? I get carried away often and when I’m in the zone I just keep going.
- You wouldn’t ever guess this but sometimes I forget to eat. When I was in an office lunch with my friends was automatic.
- My schedule. Trying to find the right balance between a productive day and workaholic is my biggest challenge.
- My budget doesn’t always fit with client payments. My goal is to be “living” on last month’s income but it’s taking me a bit to get all that worked out.
Next dream: Taking this business on the road and working from Italy a few months a year.
