My journey began a little over 3 years ago (as of this writing).
“It was now or never”—that was my mantra when I first tried to look for virtual assistance jobs online. I didn’t know what to expect or what qualifications I needed to pass the interviews, but I jumped into every call I could take anyway. It was out of necessity at first, because I didn’t want to go back to the office again to work in a corporate company. I had done the corporate thing for years, and I was exhausted. Dealing with politics, office rumors, and scandals… it was too much.
The pandemic came like a sign for me to start over and change the course of my career.
When I decided to take the plunge into finding remote jobs, I was specifically targeting a VA role. I thought I only needed to adjust a few things based on the skills I already had, but little did I know, I needed more than just good communication skills.
Unexpected Truth #1: You’re More Than Just A Helper
I’m used to just taking directions and doing my best to deliver what I was tasked to do when I was in the corporate world. But when I started working with a direct client, the challenge was real. What I thought I already knew wasn’t enough. I needed to push myself to find ways to better support my client.
At first, I thought I was just helping out… but when I was asked for my thoughts and what I think is best to do for a certain campaign, that’s when it hit me—I was no longer an employee who takes directions from a boss. I have to be an expert. I realized this is what being an independent service provider means. So I started taking projects more seriously as I went along and took on new clients.
Unexpected Truth #2: Clients Don’t Always Know What They Need
It’s true—clients don’t always know what they need, and it often takes a few rounds of back-and-forth to figure out how they want things done. It can be frustrating at times, especially in the beginning. But over the years, I’ve learned that most clients just need a little guidance and someone who can set clear expectations. That way, we’re both on the same page—aligned on the process and the specific tasks I’m responsible for. Eventually, through consistent and clear communication, I developed a better understanding of where they’re coming from and how to support them effectively.
Unexpected Truth #3: The Emotional Labor Is Real
Managing multiple clients can get overwhelming at some point. There were times when I had to switch from one client to another, answer emails, attend to their needs, and the list just went on and on. It takes a lot of energy and mental focus to deliver quality outputs, and if you’re not careful, you might just feel like quitting the job altogether.
Thankfully, I didn’t resort to quitting. I know myself better than that. Over the years, I’ve learned to set boundaries to avoid feeling so swamped. I make sure I get enough rest, and if I don’t feel good—physically, mentally, or even emotionally—I simply take a nap. It’s the best remedy for me. It helps me reset, even just for a few minutes to an hour, so I can regain mental clarity. During these rest periods, I also decide when to reply to client emails, giving myself space to breathe and respond with intention.
Unexpected Truth #4: You’ll Wear Many Hats
The reality of being a freelancer is that you are your own boss. But it’s not as glamorous as others often portray it to be. It’s not always fun, and you can’t just be anywhere and enjoy all the time. Sure, you can travel and work, but you have to plan it out carefully so it doesn’t compromise your work quality.
As a small business owner, you wear too many hats. From setting up and managing your own website and social media pages, invoicing, marketing yourself as an expert, handling administrative tasks, to giving your clients the best support they need, you’re doing it all on your own.
I used to think that not relying on a regular salary and building my own business would be better. And in many ways, it is. But I also learned that it takes even more from you to keep a business running smoothly.
Unexpected Truth #5: The Loneliness + Freedom Paradox
When I started freelancing, I thought, “This is it! I’m finally on my way to freedom.” No one’s going to boss me around, I get to decide my own schedule, and I don’t have to deal with office politics—so on and so forth.
But I was wrong. Sure, freelancing has a lot of perks, but it can also get really boring working alone without workmates. I missed chatting with coworkers and being filled in on the latest gossip—things like that.
Still, I know I’ve chosen a different path—one that allows me to grow my skills even more instead of staying stuck in the corporate world.
Yes, it can get lonely sometimes, but there are many ways to combat that feeling. As time went by, I’ve learned that loneliness often starts with our thoughts, and our thoughts lead to our feelings. We always have a choice: to either give in to negative thinking or challenge it in ways that help ease the loneliness.
Bonus Unexpected Truth: You Grow Fast If You Let Yourself
The more I do my job and get exposed to multiple clients with various needs, the more I learn a lot of things. I’m kind of a geek sometimes, even though it’s not obvious to some people. I obsess over tech stuff. I don’t have a background in IT or anything like that, but just being curious has been enough to build momentum and make space for new skills to grow. There’s a huge stream of information on the internet just waiting to be found and learned, and that alone really catapulted my drive for new knowledge, which has been a big help in my freelancing journey.
I also found the courage to acknowledge the value I contribute to every client project I’ve handled. I’ve learned that if you get into freelancing, you have to push yourself to be a leader, a negotiator, a consultant, and more. I gained the confidence to filter which clients I can work with and say no to those that don’t align with my work style. I also gained the courage to raise my rates to fit the value I contribute and the skills I’ve mastered throughout my journey.
Conclusion
If I were asked whether freelancing is worth it, I would say yes—it absolutely is! Being a virtual assistant, in particular, has helped me expand my perspective and overcome limiting beliefs that often hold us back. It pushes you to grow into someone better to develop that entrepreneurial mindset. If I had stayed in a corporate job, I might not have learned what I now know about investing in myself, growing, and becoming more than who I was.
It’s scary to jump into the freelancing world, but you need to take a risk if you want something that bad. I’m not saying you should quit your current employment right away, and jump into freelancing. But you do need to set your expectations and plan your exit strategy from your office job. Freelancing is a completely different world. I’ve written a blog post on this same topic about what it really takes to be a freelancer, in case you’re curious.
If I could tell my past self one thing, it would be this: Take the risk and take action. Because you’ll never know what’s on the other side if you let fear take over.
Curious to read more real stories about freelancing and life outside the 9–5? Subscribe to my blog and join me on this journey:
