Keep track of kind words that you receive and all of your successes—even the little ones.
They help lift you up on the down days, but they may also be important in the future.
Take my experience as an example.
One of the biggest mistakes I made as a young(er) worker was not collecting testimonials or tracking what happened to clients after we were done. I treated editing and writing as 💰lucky extra money💰, something I’d never do anything with, because that’s what adultier adults told me.
I didn’t dream that I’d be editing and writing full-time in my mid-30s; I made my “real” income from administrative and project-related roles.
But in the past I wrote and designed collateral for a hotel. When I left? Didn’t take any of it. I wrote blogs and other content for a photographer, and it’s all gone. I edited dissertations, theses, a couple historical fiction novels, short stories—no idea what became of them.
I wish I’d thought to collect those accomplishments. Because I didn’t, I lost wonderful connections, referrals, and more.
This was all because I was told I could make nothing from my English degrees—AND I BELIEVED IT. (One man, a history teacher, actually scoffed and walked away when I told him I was getting my MA in Writing.)
So I held onto the accomplishments in jobs I hated, because those accomplishments had “value,” and I stopped filling my portfolio with projects I loved.
This is all a very long way to say: Even if you think your side hustle is never going to be your full-time gig, hoard the kind words. Record your accomplishments. Stay in touch with the people who you’ve helped. Hold onto your supporters and your network.
You never know. 🤷🏻♀️
