I have been very busy lately and had to sort out tons of things and tie loads of loose ends when it comes to employment and personal life.
Although I had the summer off and only went back to work at the end of August, by mid-September my part-time day became a source of huge stress and I had to step right back and evaluate the best strategy concerning it.
I have also been extremely busy on the blog, with many great things happening, like Mama’s Haven winning UK Best Parenting Blog Award with the Blogging Edge network and loads of respectable brands approaching us for collaborations and reviews.
I did, at the same time, land a wonderful part-time job which I can do from home, during hours that suit our family. As a Social Media and PR Manager with the fastest growing coupon site in the UK , I haven’t had a dull moment since starting working for them, with every day a steep learning curve that challenges and motivates me!
But in the midst of all this, I have felt, at the best of times, overwhelmed and under extreme pressure to perform and do well by everybody.
In the end, the decision had to be taken and my day job had to go.
I did not take the decision lightly and took four weeks to ponder seriously on all the implications but in my heart of hearts, I knew that a job that leaves me drained and frustrated at the end of the day will only get worse if I stayed in it. Nothing to do with the people or the job itself, more of the wrong person for the wrong job sort of thing.
For the past week and a half, with that burden lifted off my shoulders, I had expected to feel lighter but actually, I continued to put myself under a lot of pressure to do well in my new job and deliver excellent quality content in every blog post that was commissioned to me as well.
Needless to say, adjustments had to be made, once again.
I took yesterday off to consider what were the things that were causing the stress and I did realise that I was doing too much for too little.
So, the decision has been taken to up the game, so to say. This coming month I will abstain from taking every blogging commissioning that is being offered to me, just because I want to be nice, build professional relationships and am unable to say no.
I have also decided to up my blogging fees.
At the end of the day, having given up my day job, I am now self-employed in the finance books. A professional blogger who needs to make a living off her blog. I am also an established blogger with loads of credibility and credentials and accepting modest fees need to become a thing of the past.
Lack of self-assurance and selling myself short, I realised, is never going to bring me where I dream to be!
I have decided to walk this path, the self-employment path because it suits my lifestyle, my personality and my gifting.
Now it is time to stick my head high, believe in myself and my value as a blogger and writer and make my dreams become reality!
Mama's Haven 
I have three different jobs and none of them pay much if anything at all! I know I should step back from things but I always feel I’m letting people down despite the fact people do it to me all the time.
Go for it! Good for you. We should all have more confidence selling ourselves and our expertise and I really hope it works out well for you.
Good for you! It’s imprtant to say no when the offers are too low, otherwise people and companies end up taking the P.
Oh wow what a busy time, well done on the award and the job! x
Congratulations on winning UK Best Parenting Blog Award – that is such an achievement x
Congratulations on winning UK Best Parenting Blog Award. I think you are doing what is right for you and your family. I take much less work on, but at a higher rate. For me it is about working smarter not harder
Keep to your guns Oana, you are worth holding out for a reasonable rate and you can so hold your own in this world of earning from your blog lovely xx
Congratulations on the award. I have tried earning from my blog but I think the market is so saturated right now that the opportunities are not as plentiful as they once were.
Well done on winning the blogging award and also recognising your own blogging worth. Good luck with your full time blogging
Well done on your award. I hope being self employed goes well for you and you enjoy it.
Congratulations on winning the blogging award Oana. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. You have to do what’s right for you and your family and only you know what that is. Good luck with your new job and I hope you enjoy being self employed!
Thank you, Helen. I do struggle with self-confidence as there are so many amazing blogs out there and it is easy to compare and find yourself lacking but I need to persevere and the results will come, like with everything in life.xx