It used to happen every time a slow month rolled around.

The quiet inbox. The dwindling inquiries. The creeping thought: What if I can’t get any more work? What if I can’t pay my bills?

And then, the worst-case scenario my brain loved to torment me with:

What if I have to… GO BACK TO A 9-5? 😱

My body knows this fear well — imagining myself stuck in a fluorescent-lit office with no windows.

Mandatory team-building.

Performative Slack check-ins.

Pretending to care about Q4 goals.

It’s a terrible feeling. And yet…

I’ve been here before.

And every time, I had to remind myself: It’s going to be okay. This is normal. This is just an ebb.

For a long time, I believed a “real job” was the safest option. A predictable paycheck. Benefits. Stability.

But then I watched friend after friend get blindsided by layoffs — without warning or backup plan.

That didn’t feel like safety either.

So what does safety feel like?

For me, it’s knowing that no one can decide my future in a single meeting I’m not even invited to.

It’s being able to take a sick day without guilt.

It’s working in ways that honor my energy, not burning out for someone else’s bottom line.

And yes, freelancing has its risks. But so does everything.

And at least here, I get to design my own safety net.

I can build the systems, rituals, and support I need.

So if we’re talking about safety… let’s actually look at what a “secure” job offers compared to freelancing.

🏢 In a job: It’s not just that you have only one paycheck (that can easily disappear)—but you also have dangerous comfort in relying on only one thing and lack of experience with navigating change.

🪂 As a freelancer: you are constantly living with change, learning to adapt to ebb and flow, not to mention you might have multiple clients, multiple income streams, multiple types of services.

🏢 In a job: You rarely know how the business is actually doing financially. You have no insight into big decisions—until they affect you.

🪂 As a freelancer: You’re the CFO, COO, and CEO. You see where you’re headed and can course correct when needed.

🏢 In a job: Leaving early to care for yourself or explore a passion project new can feel like a risk.

🪂 As a freelancer: You get to build your work and life around your values, your energy, your priorities.

It’s not about pretending freelancing is always easy, because it’s not.

But if you’ve been questioning whether the discomfort means you’re doing it wrong — maybe it just means you’re human. And growing. And learning how to weather the ebbs and flows of something you’re still building.

 How do you create your version of safety in freelancing?

Warmly,

Sarah