So today I took a leap of faith. Today I quit my job to return to the freelance world in the aim of seeking new opportunities, developing new skills and most importantly to grasp (or at least attempt to), that golden work/life balance.

It's a massive risk, I know. The industry, and the world for that matter, have changed a lot in the three years since I left freelance to become the Head of Design at a London agency. I have a family to support and responsibilities that I am accountable for, but despite my fears I feel I owe it to myself and to my family to give it a shot.

It wasn't an easy decision that's for sure, but I am a hungry and ambitious person who has always been driven to succeed and better myself. The last few years I had stagnated badly. I was under constant pressure, with at times an overwhelming amount of responsibilities placed upon my shoulders. I was thinly spread and found my personal time being interrupted by work. My precious time with my family was being badly affected and so I had a decision to make. I felt the need to step away from the situation to give myself the opportunity to grow again. To learn more skills and to make time to draw again.

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret my decision to take up my previous role. Being senior management at a successful integrated agency taught me so much about the industry, about leadership and most importantly about myself. I could have stayed in that position, comfortably watching the world go by, but I feel I have achieved all I will there and with time constantly against us, I wanted to make the most of this precious life and spend my time enjoying as much of it as I can.

I will miss my work colleagues dearly and the daily interactions we used to have, but I know I am doing the right thing.

As for my next steps, I will never rule out going full time in the future. Far from it. I am always open to the right opportunity, but I think for now my efforts will go into building my freelance business and get back into drawing. Something I have neglected for far too many years.

I will be free to take on freelance bookings from July and so if you do have any plans or projects you'd like to discuss with me, please get in touch.

Image by Frankie's via shutterstock