Hiring yourself is a hard road to hoe.
The ups and downs of running a business can leave you stressed, insecure, scared, doubtful and exhausted. And that’s on a good day.
Then again, roller coasters aren’t so bad if you have people to scream with.
And once you hear those voices, once you realize you’re not alone, once you find people to face the world with, the ride isn’t so bad after all.
I started my company the day I graduated college. And in ten years of freelancing, ten years of being the sole employee and ten years of having no permanent office to go to everyday, I’ve worked overtime to fill my roller coaster with a few groups of people to scream with.
A chamber of solidarity. People who fight the same obstacles as you. People who hear the same voices as you. And people who will acknowledge your insecurities, lay their cross on the table and say me too.
A room of mirrors. People to give unbiased but useful opinions on our work. People to show you what we’re too close to yourself to see. And people who will look you in the eye and say oh my god.
A network of healing. People to help you greet your fear. People to sustain you when your spirit is tired and sagging. And people to carry you to the other side of the wall and say don’t stop.
A company of encouragement. People to say you’re not crazy. People to be there for you when you start to doubt yourself. And people who will support the decisions you’ve made about our own reality and say right on.
A circle of safety. People you can cleanse yourself with. People you can complain and cry and bitch with. And people who will let you be the lowest version of yourself in their presence and say I still love you.
That’s a big reason why I’m still here.
For those who have stood by my side, you are the story I tell.
