six months.

Approximately six months ago, I got fired from my government job. Everyday since then has been a learning experience for me. I've had a moment to reflect on the past half-year, and I'd like to express the lessons I've learned since Monday, March 11th, when I stopped working for someone else and started working for myself:

- Being a writer is the hardest job I've ever loved, and sometimes, I find that I sort of hate writing. The reason why is because, over the past six months, I've discovered that I'm the slowest writer I know. Slow writing is the kiss of death for any writer who writes for bulk or provides content for a multitude of websites. Back in October of last year, I joined a writing website that provides content to a variety of websites (otherwise known as a Content Mill), but the pay there has been incredibly, insultingly low...unless you write really quickly and can crank out thousands of words every day. I, however, don't write quickly. See, before I write something, I have to educate myself about the subject at hand, and I have to be able to explain that in my own words without simply re-writing something someone else has already written. In order to write something with authority, I have to understand it. Deeply. Intimately. I didn't realize until I started writing full-time that educating myself thoroughly on a subject takes a huge amount of time, and that ultimately results in my making approximately five dollars per hour writing content for websites. I've tried to set timers and push myself to write faster, but six months in, I'm still as slow as ever. If not slower.

- My slow-ass writing prowess means that I've been forced to seek out clients who aren't looking for deadlines, but, instead, are looking for polished writing with a ton of knowledge behind it. These clients take a long time to find. Most people want things when they want things, and that usually means they wanted what they want yesterday at the latest. So I've had to spend time writing for clients who aren't so concerned about deadlines, but with expertise. Thankfully, I have managed to accumulate some steady clients who love me NOT for my speed, but for my knowledge and thoroughness. Again, this is hard to find as a writer, since our society calls for quick results, not so much knowledgeable and thorough results.

- The clients who like me for the quality of my writing over my speed as a writer pay A LOT more than the clients who are more concerned about speed over quality. This is my painful trade-off: More money, but less consistent work.

- I have to find things that I love to do for work, because I've essentially given up on the concept of A Retirement Fund or Pension through my employer. However, I deeply believe that if you do things you love for money, you truly never WORK a day in your life. And if you never feel like you're working a day in your life, you don't need your job to pay you to quit when you're too old to continue. I truly believe that this is the world we live in now: Find your bliss for money, or die trying. I also understand that this concept is not available to everyone. However, I'm willing to help inspire people to do what they love and stop being afraid to ask for compensation for it, whether that thing is art, music, yoga, writing, or anything else at which you excel. And I believe that artists and musicians and writers and yoga teachers and so on are so often too afraid to ask to be compensated for what they do well. Being an artist doesn't mean that you work for free: You're allowed to ask for money, just the way you would if you're a waiter, secretary, repair man, or any other occupation. It's time to start demanding money. Do it, or drown. The world is different now, and you have something special and unique to offer, stop selling yourself short by giving away your skills for free. Make a decision today that you will stop doing that. You are worth more, and someone will pay you for it. I promise. Send me a bill if you find I'm eventually wrong about this...but please make sure you at least try first.

-  Finding the thing you love to do after you've spend decades doing things you hate to do is REALLY HARD. It takes discipline. It takes perseverance. It takes organization. It takes commitment. It takes focus. You don't get to rely on an hourly rate of pay, no matter how you choose spend that time. It also means you can kiss earned Sick Days or Vacation Days a loving Good-Bye. It means you work for your pay every second of every day, and if you get sick for a day, you have to make up for it the next. That means every penny you make relates to how hard you worked that week. I've discovered over the past six months that I don't know how to earn money efficiently. I've had to learn everything the hard way because I've had no choice. But I've also learned that I'm a much better, much more forgiving boss than any other boss I've ever had. Discovering that you're a good boss to yourself is no joke. Learning how to be your own boss is tough. Don't take it for granted even for a second. Because you will soon find that you are the hardest boss you've ever had, but you're also the most understanding.

Freelancing is hard, much harder than I expected. That's what I've learned over the past six months since I got fired from my job as an Executive Assistant with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. I've also learned that I have something to give based on my most intrinsic talents, and you do, too, and you and I both deserve to earn money doing what we love. I've learned that I shouldn't sell myself short of what I deserve, and you shouldn't, either. So let's make a pact that we won't belittle our talents, or work for free. If we do this together, I truly, deeply believe that you and I can change the whole world.

So, six months after my firing, life is harder. But also easier. I urge everyone I love to quit their shitty jobs, or get fired, because I believe the future of the economy is based on doing what you do THE BEST. So let's all give up on what you do the worse. I promise, doing what you hate doesn't serve anyone. Let's all do what we do best, and let's be better at it than anyone ever could be. This, THIS is what I think will save us all.