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Dealing with Personal Issues While Freelancing

cyaxrex

By cyaxrex
in Lounge

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cyaxrex Proficient

cyaxrex

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I’m going to regret writing this, I know it. However, recently a person who was/hopefully one day will again be an active participant of this forum announced that they no longer intend to be a part of it. In response, I then personally called this person out on this decision and in retrospect, I feel that this might have now resulted in their subsequent absence. No one, after all, likes to loose a game of forum chicken.

In any case, I thought that in mind of my current regret, I would bare all for a few minutes. The truth is you see, that this past year has been and still is hell for me. I’ve gone from starting the year with someone I used to consider the love of my life and a nice big pot of life savings, to ending the year as a very socially isolated, not as financially assured person, who to be honest I don’t like looking at in the mirror.

Now, I don’t want anyone’s pity. I would, however, like to highlight something which no one ever really mentions. Namely, that freelancing is/can be hugely emotionally challenging.

For instance, in my old work, a family or personal crisis would actually be something that was talked about and worked through with coworkers and the people I spent the day with. - Is Susan from accounts having a baby? Awesome! Let’s all get something for her. Has Dave just broke up with his latest, this is definitely THE ONE’ piece of ass? (Could be man or woman btw, I’m not being gender specific.) If so, let’s give him a wide berth because he’s an ass but let’s also shout out a drink or two on Friday for him.

Then on a lesser dramatic note, is someone just lonely? Has Michael in marketing not been out since the cretaceous period? If so, let’s get him out next weekend.

My point is that when you freelance, you actually lose this otherwise taken for granted and invisible support network. Also, you don’t realize this until you personally miss it. In fact, I missed it so much this year that I took a real world job I didn’t need which turned into an abject disaster,

What’s worse, when something big happens like a breakup, it’s simply not possible to take a few days or weeks off. You have to be up and actually allocate time to deal with things, not actually experience certain emotional processes in their natural context.

Do I sound to shrink-ish? Well, I haven’t got to the big part yet. You see what unites many if not all freelancers is a huge self-projection of ego. We don’t need the world to make a living. We’re better than the riff raff who ferry to the office every day and throw away half their daily wage on transport, lunch, & all the consumerist distractions of a real world job.

The end result? Well, on Fiverr, you have the forum. Not the ideal place to throw a baby shower, but at least it’s somewhere to talk.

The weird thing about the forum, though, is that it’s a place to be both egotistical and lonely at the same time and sometimes the loneliest of us are also the most egotistical.

In this case, if there is a certain person who I might have offended reading this, sorry.

At the same time, if like me you ever find yourself feeling isolated because of what you do freelancing… Well, I think that a lot of us experience this and although I can’t help, you’re not alone.

Now, get back here Writer99025! We miss you for Chrissakes!

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cyaxrex Proficient

cyaxrex

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Ha! I knew you couldn’t do it! There goes your 18 months away from the forum @writer99025. I’m joking of course. Nice to see you back.

As for election day, get your best bad blonde wig ready and let the party commence! How on Earth did you become a Trump supporter, though? I’d have thought you’d be for Shillray for market prosperity and stability?

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