Faith in freelancing

Sometimes, the hardest part of freelancing isn’t landing the next project – it’s having faith that the next project will come. It’s that quiet confidence in the unknown.

I’m thinking about this because as I write this, I wrapped up two different projects yesterday. Today? Absolutely zero client work on my schedule.

Of course, there’s always something to do. I have the same never-ending to-do list you probably have.

But I’m totally programmed to jump into my morning routine (make the bed, feed the pets, unload the dishwasher…) and then switch straight to opening my laptop, whether there’s actual client work waiting or not.

But today was different.

Lately, I’ve been terrible about getting any exercise. I just got a new Fitbit after my old one died a few months back, and wow, it’s been incredible seeing my stats. One day last week, I took barely 2,000 steps.

So this morning, with 100% of my time truly my own, I skipped my morning routine. I got out of bed, slipped on my favorite purple and teal sneakers/hiking boots hybrid, brushed my teeth, and headed out for an hour and a half-long walk.

It's August, and I’m in the desert, so by 8:30 a.m. I was scurrying back home (and dictating the first draft of this post) to get out of the heat. When I got back, I did my morning routine – and even threw in a little stretching and Pilates.

And, eventually, I opened my laptop, a couple hours after I normally would. (Bonus: there was an email waiting for me from one of the people I’d just closed out a project with, and he said my latest idea was “chef’s kiss.” Not a bad way to start the workday.)

OK, got a little sidetracked there. Yes, I got my exercise in, so what?

The point is, last night I went to bed feeling good about not having a packed agenda for today. No client deliverables on my calendar. Why did I feel good about it? Because I know the next project will come along. I don’t know when. That’s why I save and put a few pennies away for days like this. That’s why I’m finally learning that flipping open my laptop doesn’t need to be one of the first things I do every morning.

One of the best parts of working for myself is having multiple clients. If one happens to have a slow period or has a company reorganization and puts consultant work on pause, that’s OK. I still have other clients to work with.

When I started my consulting business, I spent every bit of downtime hustling (in my own calm, non-hustle-y way. OK, let’s call it networking. OK, that’s just as bad a word, but you get it). That networking hustle never did much for me in the short term. Although the seeds I sprinkled probably did grow, eventually leading to a contract or a referral, but there was never a straight, obvious line from networking hustle to payday.

So now, while I do continue to nurture my business (yes, nurture! way better than hustling or networking), I do it in a way that feels right for me. Now, I try to balance my unpredictable downtime with both living my life and nurturing my business. That’s why I took my walk first thing this morning, and why I hope I do it again tomorrow.

Again, I’m not sitting around just waiting for work to come my way. I’m still doing things like sending emails to clients I haven’t worked with in a while to let them know I’m available and connecting with interesting people on LinkedIn. I do these things whether I’m swamped with work or in a slower season. I’m just making a conscious effort to enjoy my downtime rather than filling my days with busywork.

(Also, if I ever start to worry about never getting another email from a client again, I just remember those times when I am swamped, because sometimes, opportunity knocks – hard.)

And it’s faith that lets me enjoy whatever I choose to do with my day in these slow seasons: faith that the next thing will find me, faith that the work will return. That faith gives me peace. It lets me actually live the life I want – which is a big reason so many of us choose self-employment in the first place.

Update: I ended up taking advantage of this time off by putting most of my to-do list aside and taking a quick trip to Vegas, courtesy of a comped hotel room and some food and beverage credits. (Totally last minute. I literally had 30 minutes to pack.) On my last day there, an email landed in my inbox – a client asking if I could start on a new project that week.

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