This Is Why You Shouldn't Stay In Your Comfort Zone (Freelance Edition)

I have been so busy working these past few weeks that I needed more time to publish anything here. Nevertheless, this new norm seems exciting to me. On top of that, I earn more than $100 a week now unlike before. I know it's not something to brag about, but for me, it is something I should be grateful for.

Because of this, I suddenly realized that I wouldn't get this far if I hadn't gone outside my comfort zone. Sticking to what's easier and simpler seems better, but taking risks will get you as far as you can imagine.

So in this article, let me share why you shouldn't stay in your comfort zone. I have a few experiences that I want to share here with you. So if you are ready to hear about my experience, keep reading until the end.

Writing

As some of you might know, I only used to write during the darkest moments of my life. Whenever I was upset, I would get a piece of paper and write everything about how I felt. The writing was also like my secret hideout, wherein I could express myself without fearing being caught and misjudged. From that experience, I didn't expect I would go this far.

After quitting my job in 2019 and needing help getting data entry-related jobs, I decided to reconsider applying for writing. At that time, the only experienced I had was blogging. I was initially skeptical because I knew I wasn't good enough and my grammar was terrible.

However, out of desperation to get a client, I went on. Surprisingly, I got hired, and that was the beginning of everything exciting.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia was something I never expected to learn and something I didn't expect to venture out of. It was my Italian client that introduced it to me. When I got his invitation, he was looking for an article writer, a Wikipedia editor, and a VA. It was a 3-task for one person.

I immediately said no when he asked if I had experience editing Wikipedia pages. I thought that was the end, but he told me everything could be learned. So when I got the job, he began to teach me the basics, and the rest I learned from watching YouTube tutorials.

After many failures in EN Wikipedia, the client said to take a break from doing the task. That was when I realized Wikipedia wasn't for me. So when I started receiving invites from different clients, I had to wait to accept all the offers until nothing was left for me.

One day, I received an invite, and when I read the description, I felt like it was something I could do. Glad I did accept it because that changed my life now as a freelancer. Since then, I have started receiving invites again. Then I got the Biography project for a Filipino politician and was so happy that it went successful.

So far, I have two active proposals from invites and three that I applied for. I hope to get a new one soon.

Tech Support

I had been asked to work for my bro before, but I refused his offer. Only recently, I decided to give it a go out of the need for money. I kept getting yelled at during the first week because I was slow.

Now, after three weeks, I'm more confident than ever. Still, a lot to learn, but my brother finds me useful in handling emails. Our routine would be him writing stuff in our language, and I translate them myself. I prefer that way of instructing me verbally. I also switched from one laptop to another because the tickets closed.

Closing thoughts

The bottom line here is we should not stay in our comfort zone. Sometimes, it's good to get out of your box and explore the other side. Once you do, you'll be surprised at how far you can go.

If I hadn't applied for the writing job, I would have stuck writing on paper or blogging without earning. If I hadn't gotten the courage to apply to Wikipedia jobs again, I wouldn't know I could actually do this job even after so many failures. If I had refused my brother's offer again, all because I was scared, I wouldn't learn new things I could use as a freelancer. I wouldn't know I could do some of the stuff he could.

So to everyone here who wanted to become a freelancer but was skeptical, don't be. Getting a client is not easy, but you will get one eventually. Also, don't underestimate your writing skills here; don't worry about your grammar. You can use many applications to help you improve your writing skills.

Remember, I was once just a frustrated writer whose grammar was the worst (and still is, I guess), but my eagerness to learn and earn has pushed me to go beyond my boundaries. Who would have thought that a once frustrated writer is now a content creator, Wikipedia creator, and backup tech support?

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