Work While You Wait
I wake up in the morning to notifications of my account being overdrawn on top of a $34 fee being added as if I have the actual money in my account to pay them + the amount of what was overdrawn. ( @ Banks, specifically @ChaseBank, why do ya'll do that dumb ass shit?)I shake my head in disgust, because I'm not sure what the fuck my life has come to. Over the past year, I've been underemployed and at the current moment of writing this, I am unemployed. While it has not been this way for long, I will say this: it is expensive as hell to be broke. Although Twitter has said that we shouldn't call ourselves broke, it is simply what I am.Broke as in not having it.As in can't afford to pay my rent on time cuz ain't no income coming in.As in having to spend money I don't have on transportation.As in can't afford to go on trips with my friends because ain't no extra money.As in when I do get money, it has to go to bills, rent, and other important miscellaneous items. (Which reminds me, why is it that when you're in a financial struggle, the wildest, most random shit goes wrong?)This constant cycle has been draining to say the least.Job app after the job app. Interview after interview.... and thus far, nothing.Over the last few weeks, I've been wondering how my usually positive ass is supposed to stay positive in a time like this? This shit is HARD as FUCK! My anxiety has been through the roof every other week and I'm starting to think it's unhealthy for me to go through as many emotions as I do in a day. The crazy part about it is that this isn't my first go-round with not having a stable paycheck. I've been unemployed a few times before, but this time just feels different. Being broke in college is normal because even if you don't have a stable job you at least get a refund check every semester which can pay your rent up for 6 months and then you receive another one for the next 6 months.But being financially unstable as an adult? Without the safety net of college?Yeah, this shit feels different. And not a good different. Different as in post-grad depression creeps back in, different as in feeling like you haven't mastered being an adult yet, different like you're the odd one out when most of your friends make more money than you.As I said, staying my positive self has been hard as hell these last few weeks... some days I didn't want to get out the bed but if I stayed in the house, I would let my anxious thoughts take over and find myself in a crying fit, stressed as hell about my situation. When I was working at the school last year, I was forced to learn how to budget, start a little savings, etc. But I don't care what the financial experts say, it's hard as hell to keep that going when you don't have a lot to begin with in the first place. Every day since I have been back on the job hunt, I've asked myself what is a girl supposed to do?
Then the message came loud and clear: WORK WHILE YOU WAIT.
So as we all know, my optimistic and pessimistic side are constantly at war with each other, so at first I'm like... well how the hell am I supposed to do that? Then I thought about the very thing that has kept me going.... this blog! This blog that I have had the pleasure of refining, rebranding, pouring my heart into for the last 6 years, is MY WORK.My self-love workshop that I recently got paid to host, IS MY WORK.Becoming the best version of myself each day, IS MY WORK.The work I do for Culture, IS MY WORK.The work I do for Live Young, IS MY WORK.I have been working all this time, but have been too fixated on the negativity that I couldn't see that everything I need is already in front of me.
You have to work while you wait.
Even if that means not having a stable place to clock in yet.
I have always said that I want to be able to be a full time blogger one day. Imagine me realizing that this unemployed period is merely just practice for me. I'm not a full time entrepreneur yet, but I have observed enough in my life to know that every day is not going to be a day where you make money. Entrepreneurship is up and down and that's okay. It's what you do during the waiting period that matters. For me this looks like:
Waking up early (I'm up at least by 6AM everyday)
Checking my emails.
Working on my marketing plan for #WriteYourselfALoveLetterChallenge (cuz look, if I can get paid for it once then that means I can get paid for it again and again)
Running errands.
Write, write, write.
Scheduling social media posts and designing campaign strategies.
Promoting my work.
Resting, (I don't have to be on go mode all the time.)
Filling out job apps.
Reaching out to mentors.
The list really goes on.Maybe you're in the same predicament as me: underemployed or unemployed and waiting on something stable to come through. You may find yourself feeling down and out about this, and you know what? That's okay. This is normal. But don't DWELL there.I want you to think about what you're good at... What projects have you been putting off? What self-work have you been neglecting? What are ways that you can get this money outside of a job? (legally, lol) What updates need to be made to your resume?One day last week for two days straight I found myself in a crying fit, stressed about my situation. The next day I got my ass up and went back to work. Allow yourself to feel what you feel but I beg you not to stay there. Find you some positive affirmations and repeat them to yourself until you start to believe them.
Most importantly, don't forget to work while you wait. Something will come through and understand that the work you do now sets up the alignment for that. Sending love and light to all those who are going through a tough financial time right now.
Love,
Kia 
P.S. If you liked this post and felt inspired by it... click these ads on my page lol or send a love offering to my Cash App $KiaSmithWrites.