Mid-Year Life Update

I don’t post as often as I’d like (and when I do, it looks like I’m travelling all the time) but I thought I’d do a mid-year life update post to let you know what I’ve been up to this year, what’s on my mind and what I’ve got planned.

What I’ve been up to

August marks my first year as a full-time freelancer. It has been a struggle financially for sure, but I survived and I feel like I’m only getting started! I had to change the way I was spending and saving and even now, I’m honestly only barely making enough to cover the bills. But I wouldn’t have it any other way, because I’m living my dream life on my terms and am lucky enough to live at home while I build up my savings.

I started a YouTube channel for my shop and I am so glad I did. I now do weekly studio vlogs and it makes me so happy! It keeps me on my toes too and I enjoy the creative challenge working with video.

One of the best decisions I’ve made this year is learning how to draw. For years, literally from when I was in primary school, I would tell myself that I wasn’t naturally talented at drawing (I’m not) but I would let that stop me from even trying - even though I loved the idea of it so much. Well, at the age of 26, I finally gave myself permission to just try. Verdict? Still not great, but more importantly it made me realise that it is possible to learn a skill even if you’re not naturally gifted. So I’m still working on it, and still loving it. I even made stickers from some of my illustrations.

Stickers available from my shop

What’s on my mind

2019 has already been a huge year for me mentally and emotionally. I’ve worked really hard to heal old wounds and am finally on the path to self love and acceptance. I questioned my entire life last year and was confronted with some ugly truths that meant I had to make some big changes if I wanted to heal and move forward.

I hope I have the courage to share more in the future because I might be able to help people in similar situations. It was really tough on my own, but Kevin has been so patient and kind throughout it all and it would have been so much harder without him. I’m in a much, much better place than I was this time last year. And I’m glad I’m beginning to share that more.

What I’ve got planned

Right now, my next big goal is to save up enough to move out with Kevin. Like I said, we are so lucky to be able to live at home, but we are both craving our own personal space and freedom. Right now I’m living between two places: my studio (aka my mum’s garage) and Kevin’s house. My income is unpredictable at the moment and I have no idea what it will be like once we move out, so my plan is to save up 6-12 months rent as a ‘safety net’. (If anyone has been through a similar experience, I’d love to hear your story!)

I’m not even 100% sure how this is going to look yet, but I’m also planning a little brand refresh for Jysla Kay. I’ve been itching to offer branding and web design services for a while now, in addition to photography, and instead of creating yet another business for it, I think I’ll keep it to Jysla Kay. So keep an eye out for that… you heard it here first ;)

Maybe you could do a mid-year check in too? Whether it’s in a journal or in a comment on this post, it’s a great way to reflect on your achievements so far and reevaluate your next steps.

Hope you are all doing so well x

jess.

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