Photos by Megan Tsang Hand

May 24, 2019, was my last day as a high school English teacher. Last week I gave myself a bit of a vacation as my husband and I spent time visiting his family and friends in Virginia and lounging at the beach. So I consider today, June 3, 2019, my first day of work as my own boss.

Related Reading: So…I quit my job!

I’ve dreamt of being an entrepreneur since before I was old enough to correctly pronounce the word. But juggling my writing business with my teaching career for all these years has taught me that whether you are self-employed or not you do have the power to be the CEO of your life. And if I don’t hold on to those lessons that I’ve learned I won’t truly live the life of an unbossed woman even as a full-time freelancer and entrepreneur as I could easily run myself ragged trying to meet deadlines and care for clients. So let’s discuss how we can all truly live like a boss.

Know thyself.

First and foremost, I’ve learned that to be the CEO of your own life you have to know yourself. Alyssa Mastromonaco agrees with me. Alyssa has worked for Bernie Sanders, John Kerry, and President Barack Obama and in the June issue of InStyle magazine, she offers advice on how to be your own chief of staff. She says, for starters, you must ask yourself some essential questions:

When do you function best? Are you cool as a cucumber or prone to bouts of anxiety? What are your priorities? Are you goal-oriented? How do you keep track of impending tasks? How do you fuel yourself? Do you need to eat healthy? Sleep a lot? Work out?

I know I function best early in the morning. That’s why I’ve spent the past several years getting up at 4 a.m. That’s how I managed to freelance for several publications, blog, and run See Jane Write while also teaching full time.  That’s why I will continue to be an early riser even now that I’m self-employed.

Maybe you work best in the morning, too. If so, you’re going to have to put your big girl panties on and set that alarm for an hour earlier so you can work on your writing before you head to your day job. If you work better late at night, turn off the TV and get to work.

If you’re as cool as a cucumber I salute you. I envy you a bit, too. I have wrestled with overwhelming bouts of anxiety since I was a child, anxiety that can send me into full-blown panic attacks, anxiety that could easily keep me from getting things done. But I see my therapist regularly and I plan, plan, plan. I know that having a plan for my day, my week, and even my month calms me.

I fuel myself with prayer, exercise, and quality time with my husband and my closest friends. So when I skip my morning quiet time or my daily workouts or go weeks without a date night or girl time I start feeling like my whole world is crashing around me. Therefore, I must make these things a priority.

Alyssa Mastromonaco’s book So Here’s the Thing is out now and is definitely on my TBR list.

Be a goal digger.

If you want to be an unbossed woman, if you want to be the CEO of your life you also need goals and a plan for achieving them.

To set my goals for June I first reviewed my goals for the year. What things do I need to do this month to move closer to achieving my 2019 goals? And what goal will be my top priority?

My #1 goal for the year was to quit my day job, which I’ve done. But to make sure I don’t regret this decision I need to keep growing my business. So my top priority for this month is to increase my monthly recurring revenue by $1,000.

Another goal for the year is to write for 10 of my favorite publications. So this month I will send pitches to two of my favorite media outlets.

I want to reach 10,000 followers on Instagram this year, so I’d like to increase my IG following by 1,000 this month.

Because I want to go to Dubai at the end of the year, I need to renew my passport this month.

And to help with my goal of losing 40 pounds I plan to walk/run 100 miles this month as I do every June.

Other plans for the month include three speaking engagements and booking a venue for my husband’s 40th birthday party. I also want to read Elaine Welteroth’s forthcoming book More Than Enough and see her speak in Atlanta.

So, let’s review…

June 2019 Goals & Plans

GOALS

#1 Priority: Increase my monthly recurring revenue by $1,000

Send pitches to two of my favorite media outlets

Increase my Instagram following by 1,000

PLANS

Renew my passport

Book venue for Edd’s 40th birthday party

Speak at the Southern Christian Writer’s Conference, The Women’s Network June meeting and the American Advertising Federation Montgomery June meeting

Read More Than Enough by Elaine Welteroth

What are your goals and plans for June? What changes will you make this month to be the CEO of your life?