I spent years trying to figure out what I was going to do, always keeping writing as the true-north. No matter what, I would keep writing.
So after I graduated, I waited tables. I went to grad school. (Twice.) I worked as a ghostwriter, a fraud monitor, a tech writer, and a college instructor.
And during that time, I started figuring out ways that I could make more time for writing, because those day jobs didn’t care at all about what I wanted, and they seemed to take over more and more of my free time.
- I learned the planning methods that worked for me, and got crystal clear about how I was going to use my time.
- I learned self-discipline. (That’s right, you learn it. You aren’t born with it.) And that helped me focus on the end goal and keep it in sight.
- I found ways to earn money and build income streams outside of my day jobs so I could save up faster, and build a sense of financial stability without a boss breathing down my neck.
- I found ways to take care of myself so that I preserved my energy and didn’t feel burnt out all the time.
And most of all?
I started showing up and building a platform so I could demand what I was worth.
Now I don’t call anyone boss. (Well, except for my dog, Rosie, who really runs the show around here.)