3 Steps to Begin Working For Yourself | Lipstick Heels and a Baby

In July 2012, my life would change forever – and in a good way. Not only is that the month that we had Braydon – but we also found out within two weeks of him being born we were going to be PCS moved to Florida from North Carolina. Not a huge move right? Well with a two week old baby, and not knowing one soul that lived in Florida, it was kind of a big deal for us! I left my job I had been at for over 7 years, we sold our house and we were on our way down south. After being in Florida for 8 weeks, Ryan ended up deploying to Afghanistan for 8 months. Um HELLO Military – did you forget that I just had our first baby and I have NO CLUE WHAT I AM DOING? – they didn’t care. Ha!

I then proceeded to move in with my parents for those 8 months back in North Carolina but not near where we had sold our home or lived previously. Do you guys know how hard it is to move back into your parents’ house after you have owned your own home and are used to being married and on your own for years? Don’t get me wrong, we are so thankful I had the opportunity to live there and for their help – thanks Mom and Dad. But it is kinda a slap in the face to your pride to be back at home even if you know it’s just temporary and for your own sanity.

After Braydon was a few months old and I was starting to get the hang of things with him. I decided to start my own blog. For the first year I just did it for fun and to update Ryan while overseas, I posted regularly, several times a week but didn’t necessarily have any goals for my blog. It wasn’t my “job,” it wasn’t created to be a replacement for my income, it wasn’t even necessarily meant to be for style and beauty inspiration for others at the time. It was just a creative outlet for me to spill my little heart out on while Braydon was napping or before I went to bed at night.

First mistake. So that leads me to my first bit of advice when working for yourself. You will find yourself running in circles, leaving things half unfinished, and maybe making progress – but not near as much progress as you would be if you were moving in a straight line towards your goal.

1. Always Set Goals.

Okay, great! Set goals, got it. No, I mean lots of goals I have:

Daily Goals

Weekly Goals

Monthly Goals

Yearly Goals

and an End Goal – which keeps changing and getting harder and harder for me to reach because my standards are continuing to raise.

2. Sign Up For Voluntary Insurance

Back to that day in July when I realized not only would I be leaving my first home I purchased and putting it up for sale, my family who all lived within a few hours driving distance; but also my full time job that provided me with insurance, retirement, etc. After a slight freak out I got on Ryan’s insurance (no big deal, right) but what about my retirement, and everything I was saving up for. I went without for a few months but decided that wasn’t good enough – I am a planner and I like to be prepared. Boring, I know – In fact, many would rather be doing almost anything else rather than completing their annual benefits enrollment. According to the 2016 Aflac Open Enrollment Survey:

28% would rather go a day without social media
22% would rather eat their least favorite food
21% would rather see a movie or concert they know they won’t like
17% would rather talk to their ex
14% would rather walk across hot coals
16% would rather change baby diapers.

I began looking into options, did my research and found that Aflac was going to be my best option for myself, our family, and for my blog income. For most U.S. companies, fall marks open enrollment season, a time when employees can review their employer-sponsored benefits offerings and choose the health insurance policies that best meet their financial and health care needs. If you work for yourself – this is still the time to take advantage of this opportunity. Spending more time researching benefits options can help ensure you make the best health care and financial decisions for yourself and your family this open enrollment. Voluntary insurance is a financial protection plan that pays cash when you’re sick or hurt so you can focus on recovery, not financial stress.

Regardless of whether you’re single, married or have children, life is meant to be enjoyed and voluntary insurance is a low-risk expense that makes financial sense for people looking to do just that.

3. Keep The Passion Alive

I began blogging because I was passionate about keeping Ryan informed with our lives and wanted to be able to also have an outlet to express my creativity when it came to hair and makeup. When Ryan got home, I was no longer passionate about sharing our daily lives anymore so I then directed it more into a fashion and beauty blog and that is how Lipstick, Heels and a Baby got to wear it is today. So now to keep my passion alive – which thankfully with beauty and fashion it is not hard because it is forever changing but stay educated. Stay up to date. Stay informed. How do you do this? Well for my blog and myself I:

Go to NYFW and Miami Swim week for inspiration of the next season.

Read magazines.

Read and follow other blogs and bloggers in other areas to capture their passion and creativity.

Attend conferences on blogging, social media, and marketing.

In your job what could you do? Well I am not sure, because I don’t know what your job is but, you could:

Attend continuing educational courses.

Travel to other cities or countries and tour the way they are doing whatever it is your doing.

Find inspirational websites and magazines in your field.

Brainstorm with peers and co workers on ways you guys can keep it new, fresh, and exciting.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. Z161128F 10/16

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.