Did you declare your independence?

I’m still shaking off the last vestiges of my 4th of July hangover, and I assume you are too.

From a declarative and constitutional standpoint, America declared her independence from the British Crown on July 4, 1776.

Have you declared yours yet?

From what, you ask? From the cube. From the boss you hate and the hours in traffic that kill your car and weaken your arteries as your blood pressure rises a little more every day. From the fast food lunches and the $7 lattes that get you through the mind-numbing day. From the undependable daycare and the dry cleaning bills.

Have you?

That decision was made for me last year, when I lost my legal job. Yes, I looked for another one, but I didn’t really put my heart into it. I just didn’t want to go back to the cube. I began writing for business, not just for pleasure. Built up a few regular clients. Expanded. And never looked back.

Oh, I don’t pretend that it happened overnight, that I went from miserable paralegal to successful freelancer writer. Bah! In fact, I still haven’t hit my regular income goal yet. But I’m sticking with it. I simply don’t ever want to have to depend on someone else for my income and financial well-being ever again. Being a professional freelance writer means I call the shots, I choose the work, I set the wages. I’m independent.

Will you be declaring your independence this year?

One of the ways I have declared my independence is to take the thing I love most – blogging – and turn it into a career. I strongly recommend Ali Hale’s Staff Blogging Course for anyone who wants to make their love of blogging into a career. At just $19, it’s a bargain, and the lessons learned could earn you thousands of times the cost of the course.