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Yesterday I was answering mail from people from my mailing list; congratulating me on my newest and most exciting modelling adventure when I wrote the following, 'We have to get a little lost to find our way sometimes - know what I mean?' I was referring to my several months away from doing anything public. As a model, actress, make-up artist and writer (and goodness knows what else I do) I feel the time out of people's way has been invaluable and insightful.
I wanted to share what I've learned and how best people who are possibly in any creative or self-employed field can maybe benefit from my journey in Lost-ville. I came back to my hometown from London, at the back end of last summer, due to the poor economy and barely any work in any of my fields and I felt like a complete failure. I had destroyed friendships (gladly) that were bad for me; I came back to my hometown with no good friends here. Don't get the violins out though since I had my son back from boarding school which was a HUGE bonus. I made some serious notes to myself.
- Make friends outside your modelling, acting, writing etc.
- Get a job that allows focus on your creative beauty side. Re-learn about the cosmetics/beauty industry.
- Pay your bills on time.
- Plan your come back to modelling with care and attention.
- Spend more time reading other people's blogs & twitter links.
- Get over your Facebook phobia and lesson your use of MySpace.
- Start exercising.
- Don't put up with anyone's crap and hang-ups, but be polite about it. :P
- Write another eBook
After two jobs in the same place I finally realised in February I'd fulfilled these things and after feeling like I had nothing left to give or gain from my permanent job I handed in my notice. People asked me what I was going to do and I said, 'go back to working for myself.' There were many people who said I was making a mistake. I let them have their say and to be honest many of them have no idea that I have been paid in my time for modelling, acting and even writing! There are lots of strings to my bow and many of them are creative ones.
During my first week of self-employment I have gained a huge permanent model contract with well known fashion house, and two strong leads for my make-up artistry and beauty consulting work (this I will do in between modelling as well as writing and web design). I don't want to say it was all luck, because analysing further it was thanks to my time being completely lost. Now I'm not suggesting if you're a creative type you just go and hand in your notice. You have to do the work in order to get to a point you feel confident enough you will get work when you decide to be self-employed. Here's how I came to the conclusion things were right for me to go it alone.
- I worked in retail and realized that the economy was picking up and people were spending money on luxury goods. If you're a creative person then always count yourself as a luxury for people to invest money in.
- I made good friends who genuinely wanted to help me pursue my creative endeavours.
- I offered some of my services for free to make good networking leads and also understand how people liked to work. I chose the people I wanted to continue to work with and dropped the ones who I deemed to be not doing things the way I found appealing.
- I practiced my skills in various creative avenues.
- I stopped relying on people to showcase me without having any input, but to work in conjunction with people on my own terms so we would both find benefit and balance.
- I gave myself time frames to step back into certain avenues of creativity.
- I re-connected with strong leads to let them know I was available and ready.
- I thanked and still thank the people who invest time coming to my site, following my work and wishing me luck. These people are important!
I don't know if you're in lost-ville but if so, you have to turn the initial feeling of failure into a positive thing. You must rise above those who seek to bring you down further and make a plan to find your right path.
