The walk of freedom and uncertainty

It has been exactly a month since I left my job of 12 years and began my freelancing journey as a full time tutor and entrepreneur. It is a walk of freedom and much uncertainty.

Boss... towkay...odd jobber...freelancer...self employed...unemployed

This are the many names that I have been given since I left my job.

There is much freedom now...I have the option of deciding when I would like to start the day. Though it is subjected to the schedule of my students and other work commitments. And to be frank, I start working even earlier than before, so that I have more time in the afternoons.

I truly get to smell the flowers in the middle of a work day and have meals at places in which I could only go previously when I was on leave or during the weekends.

I have no boss to answer to. But I do have many clients who can boss me around. Thankfully, my current clients are very nice people.

Financially, it is a different set of rules. While the amount of money might be about the same as my salaried job. Pay doesn't come in a lump sum on payday every month, instead it comes in trickles here and there. To date, I am never more than 2 days from my next "payday". And of course, income is by no mean fixed. It can be brilliant or it can be short. It is going to take me a long while to adjust to that.

There are many things that I missed in my previous job, the banter and closeness of colleagues, my cosy cubicle and of course that stable sense of showing the world that I am gainfully employed.

It can be quite a lonely life as you traverse the world alone with your work, having meals alone and even working from a cubicle in which you are surrounded by strangers or fellow freelancers. Yes, I do have a cubicle albeit a higher class but a far smaller one.

There are times where you are tempted to call up your old colleagues and meet them for lunch but sigh. The hectic schedule and mobility of freelancing does make it a challenge.

Thankfully, I am now able to spent more time with my baby boy. In days of past, I am often working full time in my salaried job and managing my business after work and in the weekends. Dawn to dusk was what it was. Now, I am no longer the absent dad.

I am sorry if this post is a bit disjointed. I am still quite overwhelmed by the experience, especially the sudden freedom. Still learning, still adjusting.

I will promise to write more often.