The Balancing Act

I used to love the idea of being a massive boho. Then I grew up a bit. The other day, I don’t actually remember why but I was hanging out with my boyfriend, and he was all like: “but you are an artist,” and I replied: “no I don’t think I am.” In a weird kind of way, I’m cool with that. If I went back in time and asked teenaged me what she thought she probably wouldn’t be cool with that.

Nostalgia has been lingering in my brain for about a week. Last week I witnessed the end of the writer’s group that gave me the courage to share my writing. The facilitator got a new job, and they haven’t replaced her yet. I’ve always looked up to her so it was the most overwhelmingly bittersweet sensation I’ve experienced in ages. When I joined that writer’s group I was in my early teens. Being there for the group’s finale was like that familiar, universal feeling of letting go of a stuffed animal that was there throughout your childhood.

My first Kijiji article went live this week. This marks the beginning of my collaboration with one of my most lucrative clients. I’m proud of the work I did for them this week. They require a weekly commitment, and my Kijiji work is actually pretty rewarding. I’m also doing a lot of ghost blogging projects as well.

The sudden growth of my freelance business has made balancing my freelance work with part-time studies a lot more challenging. At one point I doubted myself and wondered if my studies were worth it, and then I thought things through a bit and decided that the answer was “hell yes.” Working with a lot of bright, ambitious business owners, editors, and content strategists impacted the direction that I’ve chosen to go in. It made me realize that no matter what I’m not going to stop freelancing, but I also want my level of involvement in the content creation process to increase. It also reminded me that despite the fact that the intro course isn’t exactly easy, and there are some weeks where I don’t really feel like going to class I need to be there, and I want to be there. On a related note: I’ve started pushing myself to say “hello” to my massively introverted classmates. I’m also massively introverted so doing something that my extroverted peers normally do for me feels kind of strange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted 11 Feb, 2016

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The Balancing Act

I am a freelance writer and editor, and I draw on my experiences as a neurodivergent person to provide advice and create content for disability-friendly organizations. I've worked with Spot App, Uptimize, E-bay, and Saatva Mattress Company. My writing has been featured on Weebly Inspiration Center, The Good Trade, Search Engine Journal, and more. I was diagnosed with dyspraxia when I was four years old. I wrote a book about my disability, "Stumbling through Time and Space: Living life with dyspraxia", available September 2022 through Jessica Kingsley Books. My advocacy efforts are dedicated to furthering a supportive community for neurodiverse people. I am a founding member of the Dyspraxic Alliance and Dyspraxia Magazine Panel Member.​