The other day, one of my clients said something that caught me off guard.
“It’s only been a few months, and you’ve already done so much for yourself professionally.”
At first, I didn’t know how to respond because I hadn’t really looked at it that way. Every time we met, I would casually share updates about what I was working on—new projects, courses, content, networking, and other small wins. To me, they just felt like things I was supposed to be doing.
But after that conversation, I realized something: maybe I have been moving forward more than I give myself credit for.
When you’re freelancing, it’s easy to overlook your progress. No boss is giving you a performance review, no coworkers are cheering you on, and no company is celebrating your milestones. Most of the time, you’re just working quietly behind the scenes and moving on to the next task.
So while I’m giving myself permission to recognize this milestone, I figured I’d also take a moment to reflect on a few things I’ve been learning this year.
To be fair, some of these are things I’ve known for a while. I’ve been doing freelance work for years, after all. But every now and then, life has a way of reminding you of lessons you thought you had already mastered.
Here are a few of mine so far in 2026:
1. Self-promotion is only cringeworthy if you think it is.
If people don’t know what you do, they can’t learn from you, hire you, or recommend you.
2. LinkedIn isn’t cringeworthy after all.
It’s really just a platform where professionals share their experiences, lessons, and work. The difference is in how you choose to see it.
3. Give potential clients time and space to decide.
Send the proposal, follow up after a week, and if they don’t reply, don’t take it personally. People have their own reasons, and most of them have nothing to do with you. There will always be more opportunities ahead.
4. Don’t hesitate to invest in online courses..
..but make sure they’re aligned with your goals. Learning is valuable, but intentional learning is even better.
5. One last thing:
Sometimes the growth isn’t in the big wins. It’s in the small decisions you keep making every day, even when nobody’s watching. And every once in a while, it’s worth pausing long enough to recognize them.
-> Image I’ve taken through my phone. Got tired of finding a stock photo.
