IMy commute time
has been cut from two hours to two minutes. My fuel consumption has
gone from filling the tank of my truck up every three days to every 3
weeks. I’m actually helping the environment. Now when I drive, it’s
down to the grocery store, not up to work. I have to say that my
tolerance level for drivers has dramatically decreased. It’s amazing
how insane some of the drivers out there actually are when you’re not
on the road all day!
My stress levels have decreased,
I think. Maybe they have just changed, because when you change over to
freelance work, you take on a different set of stresses. It’s no
longer a stress of, “When will they fire me?” or “How long will it take
for this company to go under?” It’s now a stress of “When will the
next job come in?” or “How much longer can I afford to freelance and be
in this incredible position?”
So perhaps the stress
hasn’t actually decreased, but has taken on a different form. Either
way – I like it a lot better than before.
I make my
own hours, more or less, but I do work a lot harder for a lot less
money. However, I now have a sense of accomplishment in what I do,
something I didn’t really have in a corporate setting. I now take
pride in my work.
Of course, everything has a down
side, and freelancing does as well. You have to be a certain type of
person to make this work. You have to be able to get along without
much human contact, live on sporadic paychecks, have a very
understanding spouse, and (in my case) a lot of entertaining animals to
watch when the work isn’t coming in.
And you have to
have a good sense of self. Knowing that you are okay no matter what
happens, or where things go. But, most important of all, it’s
important to have a very entertaining, very great friend to vent to –
preferably someone in the same position that you are and can understand
those times when you have to cross over the line for awhile. My good
friend has arisen in the form of an artist, and together we form one of
the best creative teams I’ve ever seen. Another important thing to
have, besides a great spouse, a great friend and entertaining pets, is
a wonderful family and if at all possible, a mini-me. Mini-mes'
(miniature copies of yourself) are very difficult to obtain. My
mini-me comes in the form of my sister, Meggin. They take years of
grooming, decades to train, and are difficult to keep around. However,
once you obtain a Mini-me, they are priceless.
So go
ahead, take the plunge. Make sure you have the tools you need at your
disposal: an amazing spouse, a great friend, a supportive family, a
mini-me and lots of entertaining animals. And don’t forget your
computer… That’s your link to the outside world, and you’ll need at
least one of those in good working order at all times!
About the Author Stacy Mantle
is a freelance writer who currently resides in the southwestern deserts
of Arizona with a number of cats, a coyote/wolf hybrid, and a very
understanding husband. Her writing has appeared in publications such as
The Arabian Horse Times, Today’s AZ Woman, and Pets Illustrated. She now has monthly columns in Jackson Parents magazine and online at ww.catchannel.com.
Many of her stories and articles have been translated into several
languages, and now reach an international audience. Quickly becoming
known as "…the Erma Bombeck of animals", her writing has
skyrocketed to new heights as she records the stories of those she
loves, inspiring the reader to learn why we have all come to love the
animals we share our lives with. She is the author of Conquering the Food Chain: Living Amongst Animals (Without Becoming One), which is available in Barnes & Noble bookstores nationwide, as well as online at www.bn.com or www.amazon.com.
