Problems and Perspective
Day 79 / 365
I was worried today about losing a freelance client. Some freelance gigs have a trial period, usually, 1 week, which the client uses to access if the freelancer would be the right fit or not. At the end of the trial period, they make the decision to offer the project to the freelancer or not.
My trial period was ending today, and I was sure that I was not going to get the gig. And then my brain went into full panic mode, imagining a chain of worst-case scenarios.
I still had to get work done, and I knew I couldn’t do that in this state of mind. Looking for a solution, I opened the notes of a book I had read a while back “How to stop worrying and start living”. And it was just the thing I needed.
The book suggests an exercise to deal with Anxiety that always works for me. It’s pretty simple. Just take a pen and paper and start writing everything that you are worried about.
So for me, it would be something like
- I will lose this freelance gig.
- I will not be able to get any other freelance gig and will have no source of income.
- Given the job market right now, I will not be able to get any full-time job either.
Now for each of them, write down the steps you would take if these worries come true
I will lose this freelance gig.
I can keep applying to other freelance opportunities. In fact, I can start pursuing other sources for freelance jobs, like contacting old clients for more work or sending cold emails to businesses for project proposals.
I will not be able to get any other freelance gig and will have no source of income.
I can always create some sources of passive income by investing. Luckily, I have enough savings to last me a few years, and I could extend that further by cutting down on my expenses. Sure, having no job would feel bad, but it will not be the end of the world.
Given the job market right now, I will not be able to get any full-time job either.
As I said, I can survive for a while without a job, and maybe I could take that time to create something of my own. A startup, a youtube channel, or a coaching institute. I could travel more and spend more time with my family. The job market would bounce back in a year or two.
We always make our problems bigger in our heads than they actually are. When you write them down, you see they are not that big. And when you write down the solutions, you see that they can be dealt with.
The good news is that I did manage to get that freelance gig, so I didn’t have to implement any of my back up plans!
This story is part of my 365-Day Project for 2023. Read about it here
Yesterday’s blog — Little by Little