Hello lovely readers! <3
I hope this week has been full of love & joy for you.
As we begin to transition into our new normal during these unprecedented times, I think the idea of carving out our own story & path has been more intriguing and interesting than ever. The security we thought we could have from a 9am-5pm job, is no longer so appealing after millions & millions of people have lost their jobs and are now unemployed because of this global pandemic.
Now we question, why settle for comfort when that ultimately gives you no security at all? Following your dreams and doing something outside the box can be so damn scary! Often this fear holds people back for so many reasons. The fear is multifaced, it can appear in ways of financial insecurity, and in the idea of what other people will think.
The question is, how can we overcome our fears of failure & insecurities to chase after our dreams? My belief is that trying will always be worthwhile. After trying, if you decide that the freelance world is not your thing, either way, you will be able to have the inevitable human experience of learning & growing, and become your best version in the process of it.
For this week's community blog, I interviewed online an incredible woman who after a burnout, faced her fears and built her freelance career—ALEXANDRA B. Being an early entrepreneur of the Etsy days, she started carving out her own path at the age of 19. After working in a full-time job, traveling all the time, and eventually burning out, she began pursuing & seeking out a life of more freedom. After trying different things in her pursuit of fulfillment & success, she developed her dream job as a freelance business coach & brand consultant.
I was curious about the details of her experience, I knew her kindness to share it with the community & you would add value to all of us, so here is what she had to say:
Where are you from & where did you grow up?
I’m was born in Amiens, in the north of France, I grew up half of the time there, and half of the time in Paris.
What is something about you we would be surprised to know?
I was a tomboy; I practiced skateboarding and parkour running (essentially, parkour is the moving from one point to another in the quickest, smoothest, and most efficient way possible. Wall in the way? Jump over it. On the second story of a building? Back-flip off, roll and keep moving). I changed in my last year of high school and became more feminine lol. 😂
What role does fashion & style play in your life?
Fashion is a creative expression for me (it's a way to assert my eccentricity). It makes me feel confident! I don’t necessarily follow trends, I prefer playing with clothes, customize them, sometimes wearing them inside out. It allows me to create new designs every day if I choose. If I buy a pantsuit, for example, I NEVER wear it as the designer intended. I wear them as separate pieces and create my own look.
How did you start your freelance career?
I've always been a bit of a multi-tasker. I started my first online business at 19—an Etsy store selling jewelry online. I have always done some work on the side (because I'm not good at sitting still. :)) I designed wedding invitations, websites for companies. I was organizing paid events…
For almost five years, I worked full-time as an International business developer which gave me endless opportunities to sharpen my speaking, writing, and skills. I was really passionate and invested in my work. I worked 48+ hours a week, traveled a lot, and had few personal time.
After a burnout, I decided to quit my full-time job and giving the freelance world a try to have more freedom. I transitioned into giving business advice and organizing fashion events. I also landed a few social media management gigs early on and later started dipping my toes into the freelance writing world.
Three years of trial and error later, I found my way in business coaching and brand consulting as a freelancer.
What is the hardest part about being a freelancer?
The fact that it’s terrifying not knowing what your next job will be or where your next paycheck will come from – but it’s also incredibly exhilarating.
What has freelancing given you that you will always be grateful for?
Over the months, I’ve learned to cultivate faith that everything will work out. When one gig ends, and you don’t have anything immediately lined up, you have to know something else will come along. Freelancing gives me also freedom and time to be creative. It’s actually incredibly liberating because I’m only accountable to myself. Which, for me at least, has turned out to be incredibly motivating! I’m also extremely grateful to get to work on a wider variety of projects and topics I’m passionate about and have more control over what I spend my time on...
What advice would you give to a young woman carving out her own path?
Breathe in. Breathe out. Decide if this is the life you want to live. Listen to your heart, your passion. Before leaving your job, save one or three months of salary to be comfortable. Then jump! You would never know if you don’t try…
What does happiness mean to you?
For me happiness is finding peace and faith in God, feeling useful, empowering and encouraging others, feeling surrounded by my loved ones and quality people, having giggles, walking for long hours. Another perfect feeling of happiness is on Monday's when I take the time to wake up at "my time", without an alarm clock, I take the time to have lunch, to do my little workout, to plan my week without pressure.
Wow! I loved this interview so much, her story is so inspirational and it shows you that if she can do it, you can do it too. It's all about moving forward with purpose, belief, drive, and intent. Success & fulfillment will be inevitable when you are following your heart and chasing after your dreams.
I would recommend following her on her social media @thefreelancelifegirl, she is constantly motivating her community, you can feel that she is rooting for all of us!
Once again, thank you for keeping up with the blog, I appreciate you!
With love,
Raphaella Santana
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