Lessons From 2016

2016 has been a year of significant change for me. This was the year I finally had the courage to become a freelancer. It was something I’d considered for a few years before I actually did it. And 2016 was the year that I took the plunge.

Personally, I felt like I was in a ‘now or never’ situation. If I’d moved on to another secure, full-time position, I probably would never have taken the leap and gone freelance. It was something I’d always wanted to try, something I was prepared to accept might not work, and the thought of it not working somehow didn’t scare me anymore.

I’ve learned that I always regret not doing or trying something far more than I regret trying and failing. How many times have you heard someone say that? I think so many people say it because it’s true.

One of the most important things I’ve learned from this year is to trust myself. I know I can doubt my own abilities at times, and this journey, albeit one that’s been just six months long so far, has shown me that I need to have more faith in myself and in what I can achieve.

If I doubt myself, I certainly can’t expect anyone else to believe in me. And as a freelancer, getting people to believe in me is what I have to do on an almost daily basis.

Another lesson from 2016 has been to follow what makes me happy. I can honestly say I’ve never been happier with my work-life balance than I am right now. I feel an enormous sense of freedom and I thrive on that.

I’ve certainly had weeks where I’ve worked long hours for days at a time to meet a deadline, but I know that’s time that I’m investing in myself. And I know that any long days I work can be balanced out by more relaxed days somewhere along the line.

As well as my writing, I also spent a considerable amount of my summer teaching stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). Being able to have that balance, spending more of my time on the water in the summer, was one of my main motivations for going freelance in the first place.

I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to pursue both my passions, and to have found a supporting, friendly and beautiful place to work when the weather is good and there’s nowhere better to be than out on a SUP.

When I initially thought about splitting my time between watersports instructing and writing, I knew it was possible, but that I had some work to do to make it happen. It took two years, but I got there. I did it because I thought it would make me happier and healthier, and after my first summer on the water, I believe that it has.  

There have been other things happening in my life away from work that have made 2016 a wonderful year for me. But making changes to how I work has had a positive impact on many other aspects of my life, and I believe that continuing to be mindful of what I want from not only my work, but also my life, will help me have a wonderful 2017 too.