“You’re so lucky. You get to do what you love,” a mother from my son’s class recently told me.
We were sitting on beach chairs, finishing off our picnic lunch.
I sat in my chair. I listened to what she had to say.
“Yes, I am lucky,” I agreed. “It took me a long time to get here, but I’m here.”
Here is being an independent/freelancer.
Here is being a journalist, educational clown, speaker and content writer/editor.
Here is doing more than one type of work. Being creative in what I do.
Enjoying multiple careers at once. And working extremely hard (probably harder than when I was salaried) to do all these things concurrently.
For most of my working life, I did more than one thing at a time. The people with whom I worked did, too. We all juggled journalism (usually salaried) and something else.
I made a mistake a few years ago when I nearly lost my way in a toxic workplace. It was an atmosphere of NO. “You can’t do that,” “or that,” and “only that if I say you can.”
I knew I needed a better work environment but I overstayed my time nonetheless. It was convenient in its flexibility and I thought I could handle the negativity without it affecting me. I was wrong.
As I often note in talks that I give, failing forward is an important step to success. My failure to move forward took time. Yet, I’m here. Again. Having multiple careers.
Now, it’s all about, “yes, I can do that. And that. And that…”
Which is probably why I immediately fell in love with the practices of therapeutic clowning.
Clowning is the language of YES.
I love being an educational clown. There is no greater feeling than sharing happiness and absurdity… helping someone move from negative to positive… and giving others the feeling that, YES, they can do something! They can do anything!
I love clowning.
I love speaking to new audiences and inspiring them with stories that I’ve brought to share.
I love writing an article that tells a good story.
I love creating content.
When I was a kid, I was always asked what I’d like to do. I had one or two ideas but I wish I knew that I had the choice to do more than one thing.
I tell my kids to strive to do as many things as they love.
So, although life as an independent freelancer is not easy, it is rewarding.
I don’t have one specific title. I don’t feel I need it.
I much prefer to love what I do and be able to do it.
And, yes, as my son’s friend’s mother said to me, I’m lucky to do what I love.