A heartfelt update & what's next for Happy Freelancing

Hi Friend,

First, thank you. Your support means the world to me as I’ve been building Happy Freelancing. I love writing this newsletter, growing the website, and—most of all—connecting with you.

At the end of 2024, I sent out a survey about freelancing communities, letting you know that I planned to start one (thank you to everyone who responded!). But life, as it often does, has shifted my plans.

Some of you know from a previous post that my sister has terminal leukemia and likely only has a few months left. And just recently, I found out that my sweet pup—my sidekick, my work buddy for 13 years, and my heart and soul—also has terminal cancer.

To say the last month has been heart-wrenching would be an understatement. There have been a lot of tears, a lot of reflection, and a deep need to be realistic about what I can take on.

Building and running a community isn’t something I want to do halfway. I want it to be valuable, intentional, and something that truly supports freelancers. But right now, my energy needs to be with my family, my pup, my business (I do still have clients I need to help), and myself. So, while I still plan to launch a community, I’m putting it on hold until I have the capacity to do it right.

In the meantime, I’ll be focusing on what I can give my best energy to:
✅ Writing this Happy Freelancing newsletter
✅ Building a library of useful resources
✅ Offering one-on-one coaching to freelancers who need support

And to make sure you’re getting the content that serves you best, I’m making a small shift:

• This Substack newsletter will continue as a space for personal insights, freelancing stories, industry trends, mindset advice, and freelancer interviews. If you’re already subscribed, you don’t need to do anything! If you’re not subscribed, hit the button:

• Paid Substack subscribers will still have access to weekly coworking sessions, exclusive content, and resources.

• My Happy Freelancing Kit newsletter will be more focused on practical, step-by-step guidance—things like building your freelance business, attracting clients, and growing your income. If you want to receive that, you can sign up here.

You get to choose what works best for you. Subscribe to one, subscribe to both (don’t worry, I won’t flood your inbox—it’ll likely stay at about once a week for each), or if you need a break, you can always unsubscribe. No hard feelings (even I get tired of hearing from me!).

I appreciate you being on this journey with me. Life is unpredictable, and right now, I’m giving myself space to move at the pace I need. If anything, this past month has reminded me why freelancing is so powerful—it gives us the freedom to show up for what really matters.

Thank you for being here. I’ll see you in your inbox soon. 💛

—Heidi