Monthly Review (February)
As you may remember, I’ve decided this year--instead of focusing on New Year resolutions--to focus on what I’ve accomplished at the end of each month. February has certainly been a doozy and ended in a most unexpected way.
(Let me insert that each month will be different because you never know what life will throw at you and what curveballs are around the corner. You also may not accomplish the same amount of things each month, but don’t get discouraged. There’s always next month! *smile*)
But let’s dig in.
1) Learned to be Discerning with My Clients & Projects.
This was a toughie. As any entrepreneur/freelancer knows, a lot of times when you start off, you take the work that’s available. You just know you’re broke and whatever the project is (unless it’s against your beliefs), you take it because you need the money. This will most certainly try your patience and your passion, let me tell you!!!
But then you eventually get to the point when you have to start carefully selecting clients and project because you know if you take on the wrong person/project, you’ll 1) prevent something better from coming along or 2) be too tied up with lesser (busy) work that you won’t be able take on the real awesome work that God brings you.
I also had to issue my first refund. I took on a retainer client against my better judgement and once I started going through the materials, I realised they (and the client themself) were full of bitterness and anger. I didn’t want to be personally or professionally associated with that project, so I apologised, explained, and issued the full refund. And let me tell you, that client was NOT pleased.
But you know what?? His ridiculous behaviour following my decision to not work with him completely confirmed why I shouldn’t. So dear almost-client, sayonara!!
Note: In this process, I learned that PayPal has a really awesome Refund feature wherein you can simply issue a refund to your client within 60 days of receiving the payment. It came in really handy! *smile*
Exactly how I felt. And then some.
2) Experienced the Toughest Situation of My Life and Am Still Standing.
I will not go into detail here, but Tuesday, February 25th, 2014 will go down in infamy for me. And maybe one day, when I’m properly healed, it will be cause to celebrate. But for the time being, it’s a great source of pain. Two people that I love dearly walked out of my life within 24 hours of each other.
And as heart-wrenching as this situation is, I am forced to remember the words of T.D. Jakes:
“If someone can walk out of your life, let ‘em!”
If someone thinks you’re so unworthy, so below, so undeserving, so annoying, so unlovable, so……..whatever that they can in and of themselves justify walking out of your life, possibly without an explanation as was the case with one of these individuals, then let them walk.
DO NOT CHASE ANYONE WHO WALKS OUT OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!
If they’re meant to be in your life, then they’ll come back. If they’re not, then they won’t. And yes, I realise this is much easier said than done, but it’s no less necessary because of its difficulty.
Unless that person is your spouse and you have been pronounced man and wife before God and man, then there’s no need to chase them at all. You’ll only make it worse. And whatever God is allowing to happen or wanting to happen won’t until you TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF.
Had this happened to me a few years ago, I would have completely shut down. Now, for a few reasons, I can’t. I won’t. I will not. I will continue to move forward and by the grace of God, prove everyone who thought I wouldn’t make it to where I know I’ll be wrong.
Deuces.