Hello Happy November!

I have had a pretty exciting early November that I feel like celebrating! I'm bound to do exactly that on my sister's birthday (Hey, it's free!), which is just around the corner. Oh, November is my best friend's birth month, too! Double celebration!

What is there to celebrate? Well, I just managed to recover from a dry spell, make friends with chaos and get back on my feet. There is a lot to be thankful for.

As a freelancer, work has been both challenging and rewarding as always. Failing internet connection, interruptions and worries about not getting a life/earning enough always bother me. These challenges go away eventually so I try not to dwell on them when I can because I have more important matters to attend to and think about. One is, of course; taking care of Isha.

Part of why I am happy lately is because I have already checked off some of my TO DOs concerning Isha;

☑ Try relaxed homeschooling with her
☑ Get her to attend a Halloween Party
☑ Transfer her to another preschool (She used to attend Day Care)


I spent the last few weeks of October homeschooling Isha. Not the kind of homeschooling where I assume the role of a teacher but the kind where I get to practice to become a real supportive mother. Don't get me wrong; I have always been supportive of her but I just realized that I wasn't doing it right. I seldom let her do things on her own. To change this; I bought her coloring and drawing books, which she enjoyed completely (I just found out that she loves drawing!). I allowed her to help me in the kitchen by letting her season her own instant pancit canton and stir our original recipe Yakult Tea. I respected her learning pace. She now writes A, B, E and L legibly. She draws images (not sticks!) of herself, me and her Dada. She insists on calling me 'Mom' (correct pronunciation), too. She responded very well to relaxed homeschooling. I am happy.

As a reward, I signed her up to join Jollibee's Halloween party. The purpose is to let her enjoy with other kids (I still don't let her go out to play. We invite her playmates in but don't let her out on the streets to run freely. I just don't think it's safe). She enjoyed watching but not participating. I wasn't very happy; of course. I want her to be as playful as other kids under my watch (at least for now). This is the reason I decided to transfer her to a preschool where learning is facilitated with a combination of classroom discussions and interesting activities. I figured this kind of school is perfect for her academic and social needs.

Scouting for preschools in this category wasn't easy. Many preschools in our locality are traditional. Modern/Progressive schools are either too expensive or too far. It is just hard to find a good school! Anyway, after two weeks of search; we have finally found our match. Isha is now attending preschool at St. Thomas Montessori School of Meycauayan.

These are Isha's pictures on her first day at St. Thomas. We knew she'll like it there the first time we set foot on the school. The environment is smart and friendly. Exactly what we're looking for.

Notebooks and P.E. uniform
Her daily uniform is still not available. I can't wait to see her on them!

Baon on her first day

She immediately hit it off with her new classmate/friend

I also love that I can get some work done at the school's waiting area. They have very comfortable seats and tables I can use. =)

Life is still not perfect. There are times when I still get thrown off by challenges like looming deadlines, clutter in the room and lack of sleep. What can I do? They are a part of my life. What matters is now. We're trying to be good parents. We're enjoying our humble, little successes. I never thought checking off TO DOs and getting things done can revive my light.

This is Freelancing Mommy signing off with a smile!

Who wants to be a... freelancer?




Dry Spell. Freelance Famine.

I used the above title to appeal to the curious minds of the many people I know who have expressed interest to start a career from home. I have been asked to explain the nature of my job too many times; I've already lost count. Truth is—it's not easy to explain what I do. Freelancing is not just a job. It is also a business, a lifestyle and more.

I know many of you are eager to find out what freelancing is, but it's not like defining freelancing can get you anywhere (Believe it or not; I started freelancing 3 years ago relying on context clues!)—real work that goes beyond curiosity does.

Freelancing is not easy to define because it's different every time! Every project and every client brings in to the table different work requirements, which redefines freelancing from an entirely different perspective. One project may not require you to have a fixed work schedule, but another might! This doesn’t mean that defining freelancing as work with a flexible schedule is incorrect—it's just not always true. So let's not bog down ourselves with such a difficult task of trying to find a definition for everything. Read on and I'll tell you exactly what you really need to know about freelancing.


Freelancing is not a get-rich-quick-scheme

I know a lot of freelancers who have made a fortune out of this business by working really hard to achieve their goals. Two words: working and goals. While it is true that pay ranges for freelancers are above minimum; it takes work—loads of work—and discipline to be able to earn more money than a regular employee would. Contrary to what others may think; working from home isn't that cheap especially if you want to live life. You have to set aside money for leisure and bonding activities with family and friends, and socialize from time to time to avoid burnout. A change of scene by working from a coffee shop, restaurant or a public library can boost productivity so you may want to allocate funds for work away from home, too. Freelancing is a business with operating costs. You have to pay for your Internet connection and electric bill. If you hired a nanny for your kids; then that's an added expense, too. Again, it's possible to achieve financial independence through freelancing, but just like any other jobs; you have to work hard for it.


Freelancing is not just about writing

Aspiring freelancers find it difficult to break in to freelancing because they often go for freelance writing even if it's obvious that they can't string words together. Freelance writing may appear to be the easiest way in, but it's not. It may be true years ago, but not anymore. There are just too many writers out there already, and if you're just starting; the chances of you getting drowned in competition is high. This is not to say that you can no longer offer freelance writing services. If you have a knack for words, then please use it to earn some cash! If you don't; that's OK. Depending on your skills, education and work background; you can break in to freelancing as a web designer, personal assistant, call center agent or a voice talent. You can even start out as a data entry professional and work your way up as you develop new skills and learn new things. Keep an open mind and know your options.


Freelancing is not full time employment

In freelancing, the advantage of being able to choose your projects based on your skills and interests has an equivalent disadvantage. As a value provider, you need to truthfully assess your abilities and only apply for jobs that you can satisfactorily complete. But what if you are not a good fit to any of the available positions in the marketplace? This is just one of the many scenarios that can bring a freelance career to the dreaded dry spell or freelance famine. Freelancing can't guarantee you constant stream of work as full time employment does so you have to make an effort to secure your finances the moment you begin working from home. Save.

I am not exactly the right person to talk about financial independence, but let me try. I took a break from freelancing before because of freelance famine. I was without a job and no savings. I learned that income from freelancing can’t be relied on at all times. I’ve learned this the hard way, and I'm still coping with this truth at this point. I'm still a work in progress. I'll blog about my journey through financial independence in the future.


This is a considerably short list of misconceptions about freelancing. There are a lot more, but I only listed those that you may need to know before you even think of getting started. Not to scare you or anything, but working from home is not for the faint of heart. I have had my own challenges as a freelancer, and they can be nerve-racking (Think of trying to beat a deadline while taking care of a toddler). Freelancing can offer you a rewarding career though. You just have to be willing to work hard, offer value in your services, and be ready financially and emotionally for freelancing challenges such as the dry spell.

Now, who still wants to be a freelancer? Can you handle the truth?

 

 

A Late Goodbye to 2012 and A Warm Welcome to 2013

I know that this may seem like a very late new year entry, but what can I do? My holiday vacation has been extended because of family gatherings and bonding activities. My computer needed some rest, too. So that's what happened:  I had computer problems and my schedule got messed up. 

Well anyway, it's better late than never. As soon as I found the courage to face the pile of work on my desk; I pulled up Evernote from the computer and started writing this post. I wanted to start my year expressing gratitude for all the blessings, challenges and experiences I have had in 2012. I know that if I'll look back; I'll find my much needed inspiration to get started with work!

Interesting enough; I remembered 2012 as a challenging but enjoyable year. Much like being in a roller coaster ride where one can't help screaming because of fear, but still ends up smiling after an unforgettable experience. 

RELATIONSHIPS

 

 



Pictures from our Family Day(s) last year

 

I read a part of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and if there's one thing that I learned from it; it's the fact that building and strengthening relationships should be my life's top priority at all times. My relationships, particularly with my family, had been put to test last year. There were disagreements, a ton of them, but at the end of the day; we managed to win over them. 

CAREER

My career as a freelancer had been exciting last year. I faced a couple of challenges, but they were overshadowed by the new experiences I gained as a freelancer. In fact, my role as a freelancer evolved from being a freelance writer to becoming a personal assistant. My managerial skills had been put to use, too. A part of my role as a personal assistant required me to hire and manage contractors. I even paid their weekly bonuses! And before the year ended, I decided to put up Happy Freelancing! (oDesk Agency) to help my clients with their staffing needs. 



I've always loved food. Last year, I started loving food preparation and cooking!

Last year had also been a time well-spent on figuring out my passion. I tried many things. I dared to think outside the box. As a result, managing life has become so much better. I realized how cooking can be both enjoyable and relaxing. I also found out that I'm good at events planning! There's just so much to do with very little time, and it adds up to the  pressure and excitement that I feel inside me. I wanted to fight the pressure and just keep the excitement going, but I guess a creative comes out best in the presence of both. 

These experiences and challenges led me to do better at parenting and housekeeping. Having a constant stream of work helped me support our daily needs (and some wants). My new found love in cooking allowed me serve good food to my daughter who now loves to munch on apples and oranges instead of junk food.

 

WELCOMING 2013 WITH A SMILE

 

 

I brought home based work away from home! 

 

2012 had been a balancing act for me. I needed to find a good balance between parenting/housekeeping and freelancing-- a balance between life and work-- and I found it. It had been challenging and difficult but I decided to not complain and do something about it instead. I brought home based work away from home! I made both life and work more exciting by spending more time with family and friends. And now that I finally figured out what works; I want to stick it. I will continue to think outside the box though!

 

Christmas and New Year 2012

 

 

I welcome 2013 with a smile. I know things can only get better. I have plans. I plan to continue to strengthen my relationship with God, my family, my friends, clients and fellow freelancers. I plan to do better in everything I do. Life is better planned than left to chance, hence; I am confident that I'll be all smiles throughout this year!

 

Coffice and Homemade 'Starbucks' Coffee

I love it that I finally found my 'coffice', but I hate it that it's too far from home. I have to spend P150.00 just to get there, and P500.00 for coffee, food, etc. Pretty expensive.

So though I already fell in love with Seattle's Best in Trinoma; I am still forced to explore and find a new coffice. I'm not close to finding one yet, but I found a way to improve my 'coffice' experience at home.

Terrace as Home Office

I now live in an 'unattractive' house. Our house was burned to ashes back in highschool, and we lived in a fire damaged house since then. This is not our own. It's my aunt's so my parents haven't really thought about restoring the house because they know that we will just temporarily live there. Anyway, my sister from abroad recently bought a house for my parents so they no longer live in this house. As for myself; I was advised to move out of my apartment and live in my aunt's property. I followed my parent's advice in order to save money.

First few weeks had been tough. I had no idea where to work! My old apartment is small and organized. Now I live in a house where there's more clutter than my own stuff!

It's been weeks now since I relocated back to this house. I like it because it's spacious, but there's a ton of work that needs to be done to make it a pleasant dwelling. I have plans of improving the place, but while I'm still waiting for funds to become available; I needed to find 'that corner' from where I can work with minimal distraction. This spot is the terrace.

The house's terrace is still in good condition. Except for damages in its roof (that prevents me from working in  the terrace when it's raining); everything in the terrace is just perfect. I've been using the terrace for weeks now, and so far; everything's OK. In fact, Isha also brings her toy laptop and pretends to work in the terrace from time to time. =)

Homemade 'Starbucks' Coffee

To complete the 'coffice' experience in my 'home office', I decided to search the Internet for  'homemade Starbucks coffee recipe'. I found one and followed its instructions to the letter. I can no longer find the original source of the recipe (this blogpost should have been written a week ago); so please know that this is not my own. Some genius blogger posted this on their blog. I just followed their how-to and the result was-- AWESOME!

This coffee is sinfully delicious. I had three 'venti' of this while working. I had chest pain after so I guess I won't be making this again for quite some time. =(


As a freelancer; I learned that what you get done without a boss around completely depends on you, hence; you need to be creative to keep yourself excited about your work and to stay motivated. It's bad enough to not have co-workers with whom we can share work-related concerns and stories; so let's not make matters worst by denying ourselves of things like a distraction-free workspace and a cup of coffee.

Where Freelancing Meets Parenting

I have been putting off this transfer-of-blog-task for quite some time now (I have a blog on Wordpress), but I can no longer wait for the perfect timing  to launch this blog. I have to do it now before all the excitement dies down. I have been blessed with wonderful clients and a constant stream of work and opportunities these past weeks, and I'd like to extend these blessings to everyone through this blog.

Anyway, my name is Clarisse. Two words to describe me: Freelancing Mommy. I have been freelancing for years now. So far, so good. In fact, I have been doing quite well at parenting, housekeeping and freelancing lately. Just don't ask me about weight watching!

If you don't know me personally (and I haven't invited to this page), here's your WIIFM;

1. Find tips/guide on how to start your freelance career on this page
2. Read stories of my work-life-balance challenges and solutions
3. Share your own stories as a working mom

I won't promise anything, but I'll do my best to make you come back to this page. Hope I see a 'community' grow within the compounds of this humble site. I would love to share a lot of things, and would love to hear from you, too!

More soon. Happy Freelancing!