Did ‘ya guys know, for the the month of August, I’m going to be living and working in a totally unfamiliar city? Montreal, to be exact. Yes, I’m taking full advantage of my location independence as a freelance writer to experience something like never before. I’ll be living in an AirBnb with my boyfriend who also has location independence, writing my little heart out, seeing the Montreal sights, eating alllllll the poutine, and trying my best to speak French (I may be Canadian, but my vocabulary doesn’t extend far beyond bonjour and merci…eek!).
Why I’ve Decided To Travel and Work
So why am I doing this? Well, quite simply because… I can. My job allows me to pick up a laptop, and as long as I have an internet connection, I can communicate with my clients from anywhere in the world. And the truth is, so can you (if you want to!).
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I realize that freelancing isn’t for everyone, and I realize that there are people who have much different life circumstances than I do that don’t allow them to live this lifestyle. But I’m also fairly certain there are those of you who either a) want location independence, but are fearful of experiencing something outside the norm, or b) don’t necessarily want to freelance or have location independence, but perhaps do want a little inspiration to start living outside your comfort zone (is it still cool to say yolo…probably not, but I’m gonna say it anyway. YOLO)
You should know, though, I didn’t get into freelancing because I had wanderlust in my veins (ugh gang me the next time someone uses the word wanderlust). Working and travelling was never the primary goal. I definitely didn’t grow up with big dreams of travelling the world floating around in my head. At 26, I still haven’t been to Europe. All that doesn’t mean I don’t want to travel, or I don’t see the amazing opportunities that travelling can bring, but nothing makes me more annoyed than those who wear their travels on their sleeves as some type of badge of honor. I don’t ever want to be that person.
The person I do want to be is someone who tells you that freedom comes in all shapes, sizes, and varieties. Travel is just one of them, and if that’s what you want to do with your freedom, then do you, girl. But I just have to make it very clear that what you do with your freedom is totally in your hands. That’s the beauty of it.
[bctt tweet=”Freedom comes in all shapes, sizes, and varieties. Travel is just one of them.” username=”HustlenHearts”]
Why I Started Freelance Writing
For me, I got into freelancing because I knew I wanted to work for myself (control freak status). I knew from interning that I get super anxious working in an office environment. I also knew I just didn’t work well when put under pressure from other people (I like to put the pressure on myself).
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Also, if I’m being totally honest with you, my boyfriend has always worked for himself and had the ability to work anywhere. There was no way in hell he was jet setting off somewhere awesome for months at a time, while I begged some annoying boss to give me time off. Nope, no thanks. I decided then and there that somehow, someway I was going to be own boss.
Basically, I just wanted the independence to live my life on my own terms.
Is this always better or easier? Definitely not.
Do I sometimes wish I has a 9-5 lifestyle? On occasion.
Do I think that one lifestyle is better than the other? Not at all.
The only thing I’m completely sure of is that this experience is going to be totally new. It’s exciting, scary, and, for me, based off where I am in my life (not married, no kids, a remote job, and a boyfriend who also can travel and work), it feels totally and completely necessary that I give this working and travelling idea a shot.
Thoughts On Living In Montreal
At this point, the idea of this whole experience still doesn’t actually feel real. It’s now Wednesday, and we make the drive to Montreal on Saturday.
I have no frame of reference for how it’s going to go. I’ve never been to Montreal. I’ve never worked outside my own home. Hell, I’ve never even lived with a boy! The only thing I really have going for me is I have lived on my own in Toronto, so it’s not as if this is my first experience moving away. Other than that, I’m going into this totally open minded.
And that is kind of scary.
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I mean, you would think being open minded would relieve some of the pressure. No expectations. No frame of reference. No worries, right? But for someone like me (someone who is a bit of a control freak who always likes being one step ahead of the game), this is territory uncharted….
Which I’m slowly learning to be okay with. It’s okay to be scared, to be a little unsure. Whether I’ll enjoy this experience or not is totally unknown. Whether we’ll be planning another trip like this remains to be unseen.
[bctt tweet=”It’s okay to be scared, to be a little unsure” username=”HustlenHearts”]
The only thing I am sure of is that I’ve only got this one life, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to live it in a state of fear. Nothing is more terrifying to me than the idea of waking up one day and realizing I didn’t make use of the opportunities that have been given to me, realizing I didn’t live my life to the fullest that I could.
So I’m taking this opportunity that freelance writing has given to me, and I’m going with it. I’d be a fool not to. Some of that may seem cliche and a little cheesy, but hey, if you have insider info that I get another shot at this life, lemme know.
So, tell me, what is holding you back in your life? Does location independence appeal to you? Or maybe you’re looking for some other form of freedom? Whatever it is, I want to challenge you to take some steps to making that goal a reality. It doesn’t have to mean up and quitting your job. Depending on your circumstances, that could be very bad. Just remember, each step that you take to achieving a small goal gets you one step closer to achieving the big goal.
And hey, if you’re really serious about becoming a freelance writer, and being able to travel and work, give my new ebook a peek.
Seriously, I may be biased, but it’s full of tips about how to become a freelance writer, from how to write proposals, to how to find clients.
Trust me, becoming a freelance writer is not rocket science. Give it a go with my ebook.
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