Being self-employed is full of mountains and valleys, how do you cope when you’re in a valley?
By Kim Ellis
When I first became self-employed, way back in 2017, I had redundancy money to live off while I got my business up and running. That’s a luxury not everyone has. Some people go into this life straight out of employment with little to no savings.
It’s bloody hard when you don’t have a pot of cash to see you through.
In my episode of our podcast I talked about the mountains and valleys and that they were just a reality of freelance life.
The mountains were where you were busy, with invoices being paid and more in the pipeline due to be paid. You feel like you’re living your best life. Then there are the valleys, where there is no work, your invoices and contacts have dried up, it can be bloody depressing.
Having the odd wobble here and there is a reality of living this life.
And I’ve been having a wobble, which is what inspired me to write this.
Over the past several years, I’ve had lots of wobbles. Yeah, there have been some cracking years, where I’ve earned more than I ever did employed. But there’s also been the not so flush years, and the cracking ones make up the difference so it kind of all balances out.
You have to remember that the good will balance the bad. The busy period balances the quiet period.
Everyone will have their own coping strategies for the wobble gremlins, mine is remembering why I set up L&D Free Spirits. Knowing that getting it to make a profit wasn’t going to be easy or quick. Knowing that I’m creating a community around me filled with people who champion the business and can lend a friendly ear when I need one.
How you cope with your wobble gremlin will be unique to you. It may be that you look at your marketing strategy, reach out to past clients or old co-workers. You may trawl the jobs boards or freelancer sites. Or you may take on a temporary or part-time job while your business gets going.
Whatever your coping strategy is, one thing is clear. Your network can help. They’ve been there, they’re still there, they know what’s helped them…and maybe they can help you too.
The power of community cannot be underestimated!
If you’re in a valley at the moment, rest assured it won’t last forever. Self-employment has its low points – starting something new, building a business, riding the feast-or-famine cycle. But there are massive highs too.
Remember the highs, keep your vision clear, and know this – YOU are in control of your future.
Keep going. Stay the course. Your next mountain could be just around the corner.
And if you’re feeling stuck in a valley with no clear way out, remember – you don’t have to do it alone. The Free Spirits community is here to support you, share experiences, and help banish that wobble demon.
