freelance life
A unique and beautiful phenomenon. Snow in Joshua Tree National Park is a rare occurrence, and I feel lucky to experience it.
My windshield wipers flick a mixture of cold rain and sleet as I drive. It’s strange to see snow blanketing the mountains just outside of Los Angeles, and I wonder if there will be snow when I arrive in Joshua Tree National Park later today.
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Balance is key. Camping in the dessert is a great way to equalize my mind and body after spending several weeks (or months) at sea. This shot from my tent was one of many photos I took (for fun — not for work!) during my solo cross-country road trip from North Carolina to California and back. Lost Dutchman State Park, Arizona | February 2020
Five years ago today, I left my position at the UNC Office of Research Communications to become a full-time freelance science communicator.
Typing that sentence feels a bit surreal. I can’t believe it’s been five years already.
I will never forget the heavy weight of anxiety and frenetic nerves that accompanied the decision to quit my job (a really good job!) and start my own business. After several years of earning a regular salary (along with a 401K, paid vacation time, good health insurance etc) electing to become a full-time freelancer seemed like a crazy idea.
My parents thought my decision was rash. My friends thought it was badass. I alternated between feeling excited and empowered, and then completely overwhelmed and intimidated.
I often wish I could go back to that time and tell myself: As scary at it seems, this is the right move. You are in for the ride of your life, but you can handle it.
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A walk in the woods soothes a turbulent mind. A view of the Eno River near my house in Durham, NC.
The word "liminal" comes from the Latin word “limen,” which means threshold. To be in a liminal space means to be on the precipice of something new but not quite there yet. You can be in a liminal space physically, emotionally, or metaphorically. Being in a liminal space can be incredibly uncomfortable for most people.
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Four years ago today I left my full-time position at UNC Research to start my own business.
Four years. That’s 1,461 days. It is also exactly a quarter of my adult, professional life.
When I left the comfort and security of my state employee job, I told everyone I was excited. But I was mostly stressed. I experienced a lot of self-doubt and sleepless nights. Venturing out on my own and navigating the world of full-time freelance work was daunting to say the least. Everything was a struggle: making enough money, getting enough sleep, finding enough work, exhibiting enough confidence. I lived off coffee, adrenaline, and tenacity.
Phew. Just thinking about those first few months is exhausting.
But I did it. And I’m still doing it.
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Soaking up my favorite form of “exposure” on the summit of Mt. Shasta in 2017.
New Years resolutions are old hat. Significant changes in life require formulating a plan and making a commitment regardless of what month of the year it is.
Still, it’s nice to start a new year off with new energy. In the place of resolutions or random goals specific to the month of January, I have started a tradition of setting a one-word intention for the new year. In 2015, it was freedom. In 2018 (the year I quit my job and started my full-time freelance career) it was tenacity. The word I’ve chosen for 2020 is exposure.
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