Yo Work Fun Nation,

“Nahihiya ako mag-ask for support..” 

“Halos walang makausap coach. everybody is busy, kahit mga kasabay ko..” 

“Mejo malungkot din pala pag wala ako masyadong maka-usap sa mga pinag-dadaanan ko.”

THIS has been a recurring theme in several conversations I've had with freelancer friends in the last few weeks.

And you know what? I totally understand. I've been there. 

When you've been working from home nonstop and the majority of your conversations are with clients, it can oftentimes feel lonely simply because puro freelancing na lang ang nasa system natin day in and day out. 

Everything has become all about business na lang… nothing else. 

Whether you're doing this solo or with a team, do you ever get the feeling na never-ending cycle na lang of looking for clients, closing them, working with them and eventually off-boarding them as the relationship runs its course... is what your life has been reduced to?

It can certainly feel that way , no?

It wasn’t really on my mind, until I watched the Movie Inside Out 2 with my family last week.

Sana Joy din maging mostly prevalent emotion ng son ko even when he's an adult na, which is the best we can hope for.

I felt I could relate the most with sadness and anger, with joy from time to time.

Wait, come to think of it, mas frequent na din pala yung doses of joy and excitement uli lately. 

I have to remind myself that life has been good to me naman pala.

But mostly I feel like most adults set their autopilots on sadness or anger, with more sporadic touches of joy. Somehow a lot of us just resign ourselves to being overwhelmed by the world.. 

But it doesn’t need to be that way. 

We have to realize that we’re still able to control what we choose to feel, .

And now the question becomes, how do we get more experiences of joy between those moments of loneliness? 

Here’s what worked for me:

Researching and publishing a bad, corny joke maybe? ^_^ 

A simple drive around your city as you listen to an awesome audiobook. 

Taking a walk outside. (this works for people living in neighborhoods na mapuno. Doesn't work in concrete jungles hehe)

A quick anime episode, or even a couple of videos or podcasts. 

Tapos, there’s even bigger things. Things like finding and focusing on a hobby, an advocacy, or a tribe and community. 

Basta the sooner I can direct attention toward some level of enjoyment, entertainment, or a sense of service... the sooner things turn around.  

10+ years as a freelancer (both offline and online) and I've never quite felt like I'm flooded with support and friends until only recently.

It’s one of the biggest reasons why I remain grateful. 

So if you’re going through a rough patch right now, , know that there’s always someone out there that's experienced EVERYTHING you're going through, and you can find support. 

Reach out to people if you ever feel lost in the shuffle.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. 

You're not alone. 

Happy Friday!

Shoden

🎉 Pst. Don't Keep Me A Secret. I know you liked this email, so Refer this newsletter to your freelancer friends na gedemet! (kung naisahan ka dun sa mga pranks ko in some of my emails and gusto mo ng kadamay, share mo na!)

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😂 Another Random Corny Joke of the Day

Guys! Anong tawag sa abre lata na di marunong magbukas ng lata?

E Di..

CAN'T OPENER 🤣🤣