I recently posted a rant against January, aka the slowest month of the business year with February.
And clients and friends actually saw it.
Since then, one of my main clients shared my post with the most empathetic message and reactions one could ever hope for, I've received more than a hundred requests to connect, three agencies contacted me directly asking for my rates and credentials for future work, two existing clients sent work and a dear friend of mine actually contracted me to translate his book.
Meanwhile, I've applied to two major calls for EU institutions, a colleague and friend sent me two other calls for tender for other international institutions and two contacts of major translation agencies, and the Ville de Bruxelles accepted my application for a business grant for my neurolinguistic programming training.
My conclusions:
1. You can rant all you want, but most importantly you have to learn to ask for help.
2. Your network is everything and it includes everyone in your professional and private circles.
3. Sometimes, you need to be patient. Yet, don't waste too much time waiting for things to happen. The more you move, the more the world around you will move for you, too.
4. Priorities are everything. This year I decided to focus on my children, my well-being, my professional life, my financial survival, my training and my relationship and my kids' with my dad and his partner. Everything else is optional.
There's only that much energy you can waste chasing windmills and wishing your life was different.
Spend it making your life better instead.