today a personal story. but i think i might be needing some advice. so, as you know i have been formally unemployed for the last 5 months. as i would expect finding a job has been hard. being a psychologist does not help at all. it seems that we are sinking in this economic crisis forever. but on the other hand as you may have read or know already, i was not that sad to be out of a formal job, because i faced this happening as a way to turn things around, focus on my true passion and develop myself in order to become full-time professional. and i can say that in these last 5 months i have been developing my skills so much, much more that i did in the last year, i guess. the blog turned into my life, as well as photography. what i have been doing lately?
# i have been dedicating my time to photo-walks through lisbon, because i love this city and wish for you to love it too;
# i have been taking pictures of my friends & family to develop my skills on people photography
# i looked through this blog over & over again, searching for ways to make it look better, challenging my skills on css language & html
# i challenged myself even more on photoshop and i already knew my way through it
# i launched a collection of cotton totes based on my photography & also by creating special designs
# i am getting some freelance work on the graphic design part with wedding & anniversary invitations, logo design, restaurant menu design
# i am challenging myself (again!) on the illustrator in order to create more designs for a tone of ideas i have for a paper goods collection
# i am thinking about doing some handmade markets with my collection of totes, buttons and that paper goods collection
but my day has “only” 24hours… and i find myself working exactly the same amount of hours as i did when i worked at a huge consulting firm. the difference? is that this is for me, it is what i love to do, it solely depends on my will, and i feel an enormous amount of pleasure by doing it. while i am doing it, i forget so many things… and most of the times, sleep seems a waste of time. mainly because when i work during the night everything is quiet around here, there are no errands, no meals, no news… everyone is asleep and i can quietly get things done. so i think i might be turning into a workaholic lady.
but now i ask you… what would you do’ what did you do? what do you do? when you wish to strive for your passion on your own, when you wish to build your business in order to make it worthwhile for you to not have another formal job, when you have your mind bursting with ideas that you feel if you do not put them in action, you might miss the chance, you might wake up in the morning and find someone that did exactly what you had in mind?
what would you do? because i feel that all my effort in these last months are actually paying themselves… i have seen very positive results for all this effort, which makes me a very happy girl. but i want more. and i know i will get more! but i also need to find my own pace. otherwise… i might miss something while i am working. but then again… maybe all those successful small businesses we see on etsy {quit your day job} feature started exactly like this… and this is just a part of the process. one day things will run for themselves and your effort goes in another direction. or not. anyway, i might go to bed again late tonight. just because i have ideas to put into action… again!
and i just wanted you to know all these things… because i know that among all of you there must be someone who understands and has something to say about this. and this is why i share these things… from time to time. because this blog is also about real people with real lives going on!
Eadaoin says
I’m so glad to see that you’ve turned your unemployment into such a productive time Twiggs! You work so hard, you really deserve the success. I hope someday to be in your shoes and making a living from photography! x
Sanda says
Ohhh…how I understand you..I am passing the same process,and I want to think that all the effort will have results and that gives me strength.
Sílvia Silva says
como te entendo:) eu não serei uma especialista pronta para te dar conselhos, porque eu própria também ainda não cheguei lá. no meu processo há no entanto uma conclusão que tirei nestes últimos tempos fazendo o balanço do que não correu tão bem para mim. devemos fazer o que gostamos, aquilo que nos dá mesmo prazer e adiar, o máximo possível, a preocupação de transformar isso em algo monetariamente rentável, senão corremos o risco de inverter tudo. e depois damos por nós preocupadas em obter um resultado financeiro porque precisamos dele e deixamos para segundo plano aquilo que de facto nos dava mais prazer. Mantém-te focada e não queiras correr muito rápido, as coisas acontecem naturalmente por si…
Laura Evans says
you know what i’ve discovered … when the thing thats keeping you busy is the thing you love then it doesn’t matter so much. when i was working full time whilst the money was great it was harder to focus on my photography because so often i was drained from work … now being a stay at home mum leaves me just as busy but i love my time with my son & find myself more focus on my photography partly because its now my sole form of income but also because i’m not longer fitting it in around my “real” job! loving seeing you so happy happy & focussed!!
Ana says
I understand what you’re saying.
I thought that working for myself would give me more time to live, and by living I’m saying being with friends and family, taking time to walk, doing something besides work.
But guess what? I’m exactly as I was when working for others. I’m a workaholic. I feel guilt when I take time from work to do anything else!!
Even when I sleep my mind won’t quit thinking of new ideas. But there’s only so much that you can do and you have to edit yourself and your ideas. That, I find very hard!!
Is it really that productive to stretch your self in so may directions that you’ll find that something gets you to break? There is always the fact, also, that rarely people can do all thing with utmost quality and develop all the ideas they have! I really can’t. And I just have to hope that I’m choosing my “battles” wisely.
In an one woman show you have to find balance.
I’m still loving what I do and I don’t want to loose this feeling because then it wouldn’t be worth it! Making money per se is not what really gets me going.
So what I’m saying is, although you have to work long hours to see something come of all your work don’t let it be all that you do!
But as long as you are happy that is all that matters.
nanouke says
Adorei este post. Adorei, adorei, adorei. Tenho os pelinhos do braço todos eriçados.
Fizeste-me sentir que vai correr tudo bem! (contigo, eu cá estou benzinha, obrigada eheh)
Eu actualmente faço o que adoro. E consigo ter tempo extra para de vez em vez dedicar-me à bijuteria e ao tricot. E por mim é um bom equilíbrio.
É bom sentir que há gente por aí cheia de determinação. Querer que as coisas aconteçam é o primeiro passo para as fazer acontecer. Boa sorte!
ana pina says
Também eu me encontro numa fase em que abdiquei da “segurança” de um emprego “normal” para arriscar dedicar-me ao que mais gosto de fazer… por vezes sinto-me perdida e culpada… outras vezes sei que não seria capaz de voltar atrás e só desejo que todo o meu esforço seja recompensado por um futuro melhor! Concordo com o que a Sílvia disse… e para mim essa tem sido, provavelmente, a parte mais difícil: libertar-me da pressão (que no fundo imponho a mim própria) de ter resultados visíveis e conseguir apreciar o processo. Porque sim, acredito, que com tempo e trabalho, conseguiremos chegar lá! E tu estás, definitivamente, no bom caminho ;)
Isabel Marques says
Hello Twiggs! Gostei mesmo muito deste post! E cada vez mais preciso de me rodear deste tipo de fontes de inspiração.
Eu tenho um “day job” que efectivamente paga as contas, mas que me deixa frustrada porque o que queria mesmo fazer era dedicar-me a 100% àquilo que mais gosto de fazer: bordar, fotografar, desenhar.
No meu caso tenho alguma dificuldade em cumprir os objectivos delineados: normalmente trabalho sozinha e dou por mim a ter muitas incertezas e medos de arriscar. E de vez em quando lá dou um passo em frente que me deixa cheia de motivação para o passo seguinte.
Por isso, Twiggs, continua o que estás a fazer porque é bom e tens inspirado muita gente como eu!
Bj
Saturine says
It’s never bad when you’re doing something you truly love to do. You’re getting wonderful results and it’s paying off tremendously. I wish you so much luck, Twiggs, and I look forward to the many new things you create and share with the world. :)