I often feel drained by the work, company culture and low pay. To remedy, I have been actively applying to jobs, networking and taking professional development classes to find a better alternative.
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Asking Not Asking #34: Into the Unknown
Over the course of writing the past 33 columns, one of the most prevalent, recurring themes has been the question of how we deal with the unknown. Ambiguity, uncertainty, surprise, and the unexpected dot our careers as creatives, sometimes momentarily and sometimes for seasons.
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Asking Not Asking #33: All or Nothing
Over the past year, art has been calling out to me again in a way I can’t ignore. Her pleas have been getting stronger, more urgent—and more disappointed in my lack of resolve to commit more time to her—time I simply don’t have right now.
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Asking Not Asking #32: Questioning Next Steps
“I think freelance life has shifted my focus from doing what I love to worrying too much about money and business. That makes me feel like something is not working. I want to be excited about what I do again.”
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Asking Not Asking #31: Ready for Creative Expansion
As I work on my plan for the next five years I'm craving an expansion while holding onto my mastery. How do I expand to take on a bigger creative role, while keeping the market's trust in what I do very well?
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You’re Invited: A Virtual Huddle on “Beginnings” Hosted by Coach Tina Essmaker
Where do you go for meaningful conversations with fellow creatives? Work? Community events? Your coworking space? Now there’s a new place to meet—announcing WNW Virtual Huddles, a monthly online conversation with creatives led by me, Coach Tina Essmaker.
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Asking Not Asking #30: Needing A Refresh
I know my work will be better and I’ll be able to focus more if I take time for myself. How can I start to say yes to myself more, not just during this time of year, but on a more regular basis?
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Asking Not Asking #28: Burned Out on Social Media
Is it necessary to post on social media daily? Will we lose work if we’re not sharing like everyone else? How can I get rid of my anxiety and have a more reasonable approach to all of this?
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Asking Not Asking #26: Trying to Break the Cycle
When I think of working on my side project, I get overwhelmed then think about how little energy I have then feel guilty and the cycle happens over and over…What can I try to get inspired enough to make my idea real and get closer to doing the work I really want to do?
Read MoreAsking Not Asking #25: Aiming to Avoid Regret
I have a good-paying job as a designer at a small, but growing startup, yet I’ve always had the dream to pursue a more independent path as an illustrator...I’ve thought about taking the next step, but I don’t know if it’s foolish when I make a good living that allows me to be independent and save. Is this a silly pipe dream?
Read MoreAsking Not Asking #24: In Search of Patience
I graduated top of my class and it’s humbling to be a small fish in a big pond again. I know I’ll get better in time, but I’m struggling to be patient with myself and my career. How long does it take to get really good at something? To be recognized? To have better opportunities?
Read MoreAsking Not Asking #22: Jack of All Trades
“I guess the underlying dilemma is that I’m not sure how to maintain the idea of myself as a kind of ‘jack of all trades’ or to make some kind of active choice and promote myself as a product/niche service.”
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Asking Not Asking #21: To Keep Going or Not
“I decided to give freelance a go after the contract ended and I assumed work would just come in. But the truth is, it hasn’t. Every month I tell myself this is it. If I don’t get more work, I’ll start applying to companies and take a break from freelancing. But I don’t want to do that. I want to keep working for myself and really build something I love.”
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Asking Not Asking #19: I Don’t Hate My Job
“Here’s the thing: I don’t hate my job. I don’t necessarily love it, either. It’s interesting and fast-paced and I like working with a team. I also like the consistent salary and the security that comes with it...But sometimes I get the urge to quit and start over. I get antsy and want to leave. Then I think about it and wonder why. Will I regret not trying something else?”
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Asking Not Asking #18: Freelance Life is Like A Drug
“Freelance life is like a drug. The just not knowing what might be possible around the corner can be addictive and exciting. But it can also be hard to know just when the time is to move on. To know when it’s over. You just don’t know. There’s always a maybe/possibly hanging around out there. It makes it hard to commit to something else, something more solid, something more stable.”
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Asking Not Asking #15: Waiting to Be Seen
“I want to be heard and be part of bigger things, alongside better people. Yet any new attempt is met with another refusal...How can I be heard? How can I make you see me? How can I contribute?”
Read MoreAsking Not Asking #14: Unqualified
“One of the real surprises of this process has been finding what I think is the type of work I want to make. Before getting sick, I actually never had ideas for personal work. I always felt blocked…It feels daunting that my interest is heading in a direction where I especially feel the least qualified. How can I move forward from here?”
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Asking Not Asking #13: Comparing Myself
Sometimes I’m proud of where I’m at and other times I feel so behind, like all of my friends and peers are further along because they make more money or they have jobs at well-known agencies. I’m in my late twenties and I want to feel like I’m making progress. Starting a business feels like starting over.
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Asking Not Asking #12: Stuck
I quit my management consulting job after 9 years because I am convinced I want to create my own business. I’m struggling because I have a lot of skills… Now I feel so stuck because I don’t know what I want to focus on. All of [my previous ventures] were great experiences but none of them were me and I am not sure what I want to do.
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