Just like everybody else, I'm really into podcasts. Happier by Gretchen Rubin has always been my go-to and recently she came out with a book called The Four Tendencies. Have you heard of it? It's an exploration of the four types of personalities and how they respond to expectations and responsibilities. I didn't even need to take the quiz. Once I heard "Obligers" are good at meeting outer expectations and poor at meeting inner expectations, I knew what I was through and through.

Since making my Obliger discovery, it's been a journey trying to put the pieces into place that will hold me accountable to my own wants and needs. It's especially tricky as a mom to three little kids trying to grow my career. Like so many other freelancers, there's a pull in a million directions.

• How much time do I spend on client work?
• How much time do I devote to self-initiated projects?
• How much do I make my social media about my work, or my family?
• How do I authentically share my work and ideas?
• How deep do I go in with a company I'm only freelancing for?
• What is my work worth at this point in my career and in my life?
• How much money is my time worth?
• What do I want to be doing with my time? Are there other passions I haven't tapped into?
• What does my family need from me? How has that changed? How will that continue to change in the next day, week, month, six months, year, five years?

Sometimes it feels like a 9-5 job would be a welcome routine. But I'd miss park dates with favorite friends, feeling the intricacies of our daily routine, seeing my baby when he wakes up from his nap. All things that I value, and have the privilege of valuing and participating in, right now.

I love the freedom and space freelance writing gives me/I struggle with the open-endedness and what ifs freelance gives me.

Do you freelance? Have your own business? An online shop or a growing brick and mortar? Do you struggle with the ups and downs too?