Work From Home Realizations: Letting Go is Key

It's been years now since I left the corporate world and embraced the "work from home" life. It has been quite a blast at first, having to wake up when you are done sleeping. Not to mention you do not have to worry about rushing to work, commuting and getting stuck in traffic. You do not have to think about having enough money for a cab or taxi or getting a memo or being denied of a bonus for being late. You do not have to feel sorry for yourself because everyone else is sleeping while you are out there braving the rain, storm and thunderstorms because you work at night or simply because you are employed and expected to be in the office at a certain time.

Of course, it was not all fun at first. There were days that I really thought how the change would be, especially financially. We had to move to the countryside to make sure we spend less on rent, food and other daily expenses. It was expensive enough to live in the city and when I resigned we were in Makati. It was a great adjustment. However, the change in environment truly helped me not just financially but health-wise as well. I get to breathe fresh air which was good for my respiratory problems and I get to hear the sound of chirping birds in the morning and the cock crowing simultaneously. It brings back memories of my childhood too back when we were still in Cebu and makes me feel more relaxed and happy.

Although, we cut on cost and eliminated a lot of unnecessary expenses such as dine outs, movie watching, shopping and everything else about malling (there aren't as many malls and restaurants here but we still do go out every now and then), my thoughts were more about our future. As we move back to a simpler life, what would our future be? Mediocre? Without pressure and stress, would we have better lives compared to those who continue to face the challenges in the urban areas or cities? How will I find a high paying stable job if I work from home? Could I find good paying clients? Can I keep my clients long enough? Will we ever earn enough to make our dreams come true? Did I make the right decision? Was it God's will? These questions and more bug me every single day.

Today, I am close to turning 36... In a few days, I will once again celebrate my birthday. I was thinking, what was I to be grateful about. This morning, one client just ended his contract. It was sad news but deep inside I knew I never liked that client anyway. It was OK. Losing a client is not good news, but for some reason, while I was afraid it would end this way, I felt relieved. I never liked working for someone who never saw my true value at all. Someone who finds it difficult to appreciate my hard work does not deserve my service at all. In fact, I think it was God's way of freeing my schedule. I must admit, with all the wedding talks, losing a client was not the best thing that could have happened. It could affect the possible financial input but I knew God has better plans. Deep inside God was telling me to let go, and let it go easy :) There was no sense defending myself to a client who does not want my services anymore. The best thing to say was thank you and God bless.

The God of Perfect Timing revealed His plans right away. Late this evening I received one potential client invite for an interview. I also received an email of a previous client whose operations might continue this time. I passed the interview 3AM for a US client and I am advised that my previous client would email more updates in a couple of days to continue our suspended contract. In fact, losing a client was the best thing that could have happened today so I can let go of an unhappy client and have more free time for two happy clients to serve.

Just as am writing, I realized that we also had four additional local clients early this year. Looking at my online portfolio, we had two additional clients and it's just February or the second month and ten more to go. God has poured His blessings upon us. We have kept most our local and international clients and losing one in exchange of 1+1+4+2 should not be an issue. There is always a reason for thanksgiving as the Bible would often remind us! The truth is, when you work from home making- God your Provider is more real than ever. You cannot dictate by job performance alone which client stays and which ones go when you work from home. However, you can believe that God will provide for all your needs, including the clients you'll have for a time, for a season.

Every single day, every single hour, every single minute, we let go of something and we choose something else. The fear is we might have chosen something of lower quality, of lesser value, of something good instead of what is better or the best. However, the truth is, we always receive what God wants us to have. We just don't realize it until we celebrate our choices. I'm getting old and am getting there! As Joyce says, "I might not be where I should be but at least I am not where I used to be."