On days like today, when part of my income has vanished under the snow, do I regret my decision? Absolutely not! Freedom is priceless. I work when I want, where I want, how I want, and with whom I want. I am free to work around my family and friends, and take time for myself whenever I fancy or need it. No power-thirsty bosses. No annoying colleagues. No pointless paperwork. No nerve-racking deadlines. No repetitive tasks. Unsurprisingly, as stress reduced, my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health improved immediately. From barely surviving, I am now fully living again.
Every day and every week is different. I work in various locations, with all kinds of people to whom I make a real difference. I can do a presentation and card readings in a Mind Body and Spirit fair on Sunday, teach in school on Monday, write an article on Tuesday, give private tuition on Wednesday and crystal healing on Thursday, take Friday off to have lunch with a friend, do some counselling in between, at times that suit both my clients and me best. I love the variety that my new way of working offers. At last, I am starting to feel like a being of unlimited potential in a world of unlimited possibilities.
Financially speaking, being self-employed has helped me to appreciate the value of money, as I used to when I was younger. Although I currently earn less than if I was teaching fulltime, what I earn seems to be worth so much more now that the income is self-generated. Looking at my accounts, the sense of achievement when it covers my outgoings is invaluable. Simple things, like paying my daily shopping or my haircut in cash, from the proceeds of a counselling session, make the process so much more meaningful. Although I now live with a lot less than when I was married and employed, I feel so much richer, filled with an immense sense of appreciation and gratitude for everything that I have, material and non material.
What about my pension, some of you might say? With Brexit and all its unforeseen consequences looming, pensions are a big question mark for everyone, not just for self-employed European citizens like myself. Would I have reached the retirement age of 67 had I remained in fulltime teaching? I doubt it very much. My health would probably have deteriorated further, as I witnessed far too often in my colleagues. How many people save for their retirement and never make it, or fall ill at that long awaited time? Doesn’t it make more sense to enjoy life whilst our mind and body are in their prime? And most importantly, aren’t our mind and body more likely to stay in their prime for longer if we do? As it stands, I do not worry about or long for my retirement. For, now that work has become less that and more of a hobby, I am looking forward to earning a living and contributing to society for as long as I possibly can.
Yes, I have lost money today. But I have had a wonderful time writing this article, lounging on my sofa, looking at the snow melting in the dazzling sunshine when, in a previous life, I would have worried about not being able to finish the programme or get the students ready for their orals, and crammed my day with assessments, lessons to rearrange, and other duties to catch up with. Not just that, I am now rewarded with the hope that this unpaid opportunity will inspire some of you to throw caution to the arctic wind so that, when the beast from the east strikes again, you too will be counting the snowballs more than the pennies and, no longer snowed under the obligations of your previous occupation, enjoy every minute of being snowed in!
About the Author: Sandrine Berho-Lavigne
