4 Important Things I’ve Learned By Working For Myself

Happy Monday! Today I’m sharing a work wear look that will be perfect for the office now and throughout summer. We’re also getting into the nitty gritty of what I’ve learned in the past year and a half of working for myself. While the path isn’t for everyone, it’s been a journey that’s taught me a lot about myself, my finances, and life in general.

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4 Important Things I’ve Learned By Working For Myself | Wear to Work

I was so excited when I got this dress in the mail from Draper James; growing up in Virginia we had a HUGE magnolia tree in our front yard and so anytime I see magnolias it brings back lots of good memories. The sleeves on this can be rolled up or left down and it’s easy to layer the dress with a button up shirt, under a utility vest, or with a jean jacket if your office is on the chillier side. I’m 100% someone that gets cold easily and so layering is pretty much a necessity if I won’t have control of the thermostat.

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Summertime definitely calls for bright and bold accessories like this white leather tote; the scallop detail is a fun twist on the typical work tote. These lace up wedges from Bearpaw have made their way into my shoe rotation lately and are SO comfortable. Last week when I was in St. Louis I got a pretty bad blister on my pink toe while traveling and so after dropping my bag at the hotel, I switched into these wedges expecting that my poor feet would just get worse. I was pleasantly surprised that despite the height of the wedge, my feet didn’t hurt and that wearing the shoes didn’t make my blister any worse. I wore the shoes again to go shopping in and even though I was walking around for over an hour and a half, I felt comfortable. My one knock is the Velcro on the ankles; while I love how quick and easy it makes throwing these bad boys on, I wish the Velcro could be made a little tighter.

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4 Important Things I’ve Learned By Working For Myself | You Are Your Biggest Advocate

Working for myself has really pushed me outside of my comfort zone in many ways; for a long time, I worried that talking about my blog made me look self-centered or would change how people perceived me. I quickly learned that no one is going to cheerlead for you like you’ll cheerlead for yourself. Being loud and proud about your business and yourself is key to success. Even in today’s world, word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of advertising. If you can’t speak up and out for yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?

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4 Important Things I’ve Learned By Working For Myself | Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed

This one’s definitely related, but knowing how to speak up and say what you want and deserve has been a HUGE thing that I’ve learned in working for myself. I never would have been comfortable negotiating a salary and before this probably would have been likely to simply settle for an offered salary. I’ve learned so much about negotiating, the importance of understanding the value of your work, and how to walk away when someone won’t or can’t meet you halfway. While I think this is an incredibly important lesson to know from a salary standpoint, it also translates into your personal life. In friendships and relationships, it’s just as important to know what you bring to the table and to know when you’re bringing more value than you’re receiving.

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4 Important Things I’ve Learned By Working For Myself | You’re Probably Spending More Money Than You “Need” To

Prior to working for myself, I worked part time, blogged, and was taking classes. I felt busy as heck but also didn’t realize how much money I was wasting. Since quitting my job, I’ve cut back a ton on eating out, not going to Target, TJ Maxx or Home Goods because I was bored, and really learned to be more fiscally responsible. While this is definitely a lesson that I felt like I’d grasped before, I’ve really gained a better understanding of disposable income, the importance of saving, and how easy it can be to fall into debt. {Anyone else fallen into the trap of “just” using their credit card and suddenly having tons of purchases on their statement instead of just the usual gas and groceries?}

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As crazy as it sounds, I’m a lot more strategic about my purchases whether it being conscious of meal planning when grocery shopping, limiting how often I go out to eat with friends, and keeping track of upcoming dates like birthdays, vacations, etc. so that I can plan on spending. Admittedly, this is less fun but a better way to adult.

4 Important Things I’ve Learned By Working For Myself | Work Smarter, Not Harder

I mentioned being busy; I really, honestly, truly believed that quitting my job would mean that I’d have hours and hours of free time. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve embraced working for myself and if anything am a lot more driven and motivated to be successful. However, early on it became evident that I couldn’t do it all and remain mentally healthy even with the extra hours I’d gained.

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While I was focusing on spending less overall, I learned that making investments both of my time and money were worthwhile. While I’ve taken courses and paid for books, I’ve also invested in buying tools that make my life as an entrepreneur easier; things like social media schedulers, automated systems, having a tax accountant, etc. allow me to focus on creating content and not to have to spend tons of time on more tedious tasks.

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