Maybe it’s foolish to throw a few dollars down on a counter for four gold foil balloons, or maybe—just maybe—it’s really important to mark a milestone, even if it’s kind of silly.

Have you ever felt the gut punch of confidence being knocked out of you? As much as I think it’s an important experience to go through (as long as it doesn’t put you in a position you can’t recover from), it’s a hard pill to swallow.

“It’s possible,” I said as traffic started to move through the lights.

Here I am. Six months into this self-employment journey. Twenty-six weeks since I could rely on a steady pay cheque. 150 days since I've had someone telling me what to do.

Showing up to a job that doesn't move you or challenge you or encourage growth or empower you to do better is not a job; it's a chore.