My goodness friends, it’s been way too long since my last newsletter.
Let me fill you in.
I went quiet after a dream client got in touch just as I was closing for Christmas and of course, I couldn’t say no.
I put a few things on the back burner to meet the end-of-January project deadline!
I stretched myself a little bit more than I wanted to, but it was worth it…
Then January also became my biggest month ever for illustration requests. It’s both daunting and exciting. There is a lot to juggle but overall I am grateful!
The freelance wheel
I have found myself on a bit of a freelance wheel lately.
Social media has felt intense too. I can never be as active as I want to be.
It’s ironic that we can leave our jobs for the freedom and lifestyle that we crave, but end up working more hours, feeling less ‘free’ and less able to take time off.
A good friend, PJ, reminded me lately that often this ‘freedom’ comes years later down the line.
Starting a business takes work; it doesn’t turn into a huge success overnight. We have to manage our expectations.
When we start something new, we are vulnerable. It’s easy to flip between the two modes: ‘what the hell am I doing’ to ‘this is the best decision of my life’. It’s normal. We have to keep going.
Feeling fulfilled
But it’s far from doom and gloom.
Doing my own thing is incredibly fulfilling. I ‘get to’ do these projects. I don’t have to.
It feels a bit of a stretch calling it ‘work’ to be honest.
On a foundational level, I am able to grow as a person. Each project is an opportunity to learn.
Quoted Visually has put me in touch with the most inspiring and ambitious people. These real-life, human connections give me joy every single day!
Feeling connected to a supportive community is what matters most (yes, I’m talking about you):
“There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals” - Idowu Koyenikan
Likes and follows can feel empty, but the individual comments, messages, private conversations, voice notes, and video calls, all feel full and enriching.
I got to where I am today because of the support from my family, friends, and fellow creators.
But we have to be careful how much we lean on the people around us.
I’ve hired a business coach for these next 3-months to help me:
Get the best out of the opportunities in front of me
Come up with a plan for 2023 and beyond.
It took me some time to get comfortable with spending the money and investing my earnings back into the business, but it helps to have some skin in the game.
Accountability = results.
Tell me about you!
What projects are you working on? Is there something I can create that will help you?
P.s. last chance to grab my 2023 motivational wall calendar here.
All the love, Hannah x
Good to see your newsletter again and heartened to see your journey! Hiring a business coach sounds like a great move to build your full time business.
Speaking of full time... I think spending more hours doing the work we want to do is still more satisfying than work we're 'forced' to do to get the salary
Hey Junhan, thank you so much! It is a joy to be on this journey with you.
Agreed, it certainly is a perk to be able to work on projects that I enjoy, but one thing that I will say is that when I had a salary, I didn't have to think about where my next income would be coming from. The stability of a full-time job is comforting, even if it does feel like a 'trap' at times.
But I can 100% recommend getting a coach, when the time comes, for the accelerated learning and accountability! Hopefully you'll be there one day, and I'll be cheering you on.