LET’S BE REAL

It’s January, which means, it’s slow. While January can be a great time to work on personal projects and start planning for the year ahead, it can also be a really stressful time for freelancers. Despite what all of us post on social media, #blessedtowork #busy, most of us are probably counting the pennies in the bank account and praying for a job to come through. If we’re being really honest most of us would say it really hasn’t been the same since 2020, and we all remember what 2020 was like (even if we’re trying to forget).

2020 was the beginning of the term “slow year”, it used to be a couple of “slow months”, but now we’re hoping that’s the case. I’m not one for doom and gloom, and I most certainly hope 2026 isn’t a slow year, but I’ve definitely learned a few things on this crazy ride. What’s really wild is I’ve been a freelancer for over a decade…what??? Looking back I’m realizing that I came into the industry just as a major shift was happening, the tools we use were undergoing major changes and the technology behind them was exploding. Not only that, but the way we communicated was changing. Social media was on the rise, and by on the rise I mean, taking over everything. Then 2020 happened, and everything shifted even further, we replaced in person with Zoom meetings (the Kleenex of the video conference world and the replacement our old pal Skype), AI started to creep into the conversation, not only are cameras way better - they’re way cheaper! Not to mention the up and coming generation are tech native, which I am not…I’m aging myself here, but I was part of the last blessed generation not to have social media during college (well, my first time going to college). When I started my career the shift was visible, but it wasn’t really something I felt worried about, but when 2020 hit the shift was visceral, if you weren’t prepared to change the way you do business and adapt to what was happening, you probably didn’t have long.

We lost a lot of great artists during both of these transitions, it’s always hard. I remember seeing people who I never thought would go out of business working as UPS drivers, others selling everything and starting over. Not only is it hard to see…it’s scary! What would happen to me? People who I thought had it all together, who had plenty of clients and money, were calling it quits. This brings me to my first point, stop comparing yourself to others. This is probably one of the most toxic behaviors that I’ve had to unlearn, that I continue to unlearn. It is impossible to know what is going on behind the scenes of their life, or if they’re even getting paid to do the work they’re showing you that makes them seem so busy. My career has always been based around the idea of doing free personal work to show to clients that I want to work with, and this makes me seem extremely busy. Fact is when I do personal work, it costs me money! Sometimes lots of money. If you want to learn from other artists, and myself, that’s great, learn away! But don’t fall into the trap of comparison, know who you are, what your place is in the industry, and hold onto that. If you find that you are unable to look at other artists, specifically on social media, and not compare yourself, then stop looking at social media! There are a lot of other places to look, and so many other healthier places to gain inspiration.

This is getting longer than I intended so I’ll continue on this later, but let me leave you with some ideas that I’m using to help combat this crazy shift in our culture, and try my darndest to stay a healthy human being in this vicious industry.

• Implement a schedule that limits social media and promotes focus.

  • I actually used ChatGPT to help me put together a schedule because I’m not great at it.

  • My schedule starts at 6 am and goes until 5 pm, but it builds in quiet time for myself and exercise.

  • There is a limited time for social media, both to post and engage with followers. I have about 1.5 hrs to get this done, and honestly I don’t need more than that.

  • I have a self imposed cut off from Social Media at 6 pm, I am working on not looking at my phone besides for meditation/pause apps before 10 am.

In the name of transparency let me tell you this is a very hard first step. I have found that there are automatic behaviors that I’ve developed where I pick up my phone and click into social media before I even realize it. It feels very much like an addiction, where I feel the physical urge to pick up my phone. You can do it, I can do it, WE can do it.

I’m gonna leave it there for now, because if you’re like me that’s a lot. I know this may not feel like a helpful insight into the industry, and I will talk about more business specifics in later posts, but let me tell you this - If you are not able to manage your own internal process’s, and create a positive place for yourself to exist, you will not make it. This is not some fluffy statement, I am telling you that wether you’ve been in this industry for years, or you’re just getting started, it will take everything from you without hesitation. Make sure you know what you’re willing to give, and what you need to protect.

Until next time, be awesome.