Broke for the Holidays

I’ve had my George Bailey moment.

I’ve experienced that moment of hot dread when you look at your dwindling income and your mounting expenses and realize there’s absolutely no way to make that ledger add up.

I’ve been there when Christmas is coming and you feel like you must have made Santa’s naughty list because the only holiday present you have to look forward to is a late notice from your landlord.

I know all too well that feeling of panicked desperation where if things don’t turn around FAST, you know you’re in for a world of hurt.

What do you do when your gigs dry up? What do you do when your digital product sales drop like a stone? What do you do when your family’s clamoring to go shopping at the mall and you’re wondering how you’ll go shopping for a tank of gas?

Do you hide in your closet? Stay in bed and don’t get out? Drive off into the woods and scream? Cry on your partner’s shoulder? Get on your knees and pray?

Yes. All of those things and more. And then you get up, put on some fresh clothes, pick up the phone, and call an old client. A friend. A potential lead. You post that “looking to pick up another client” message in your industry networking group. You polish up your marketing collateral. You search every damn job board you can think of and start making connections.

Oh, it’s not easy. It’s frustrating and hard and it sucks. But I’ve done it. And so can you.

“They say that money doesn’t matter if you love your work–
Ha!
Who would say that?
Probably some penniless jerk!”
–Mr. Krabs, the SpongeBob SquarePants Musical