You just lost a big client. You’ve got quarterly taxes due, your computer just died, and your last client hasn’t paid their invoice. Is freelancing really worth all the headaches? How do you rekindle your freelance motivation?

I’ve faced more unique challenges in freelancing than I ever did working for someone else. But I still wouldn’t change a thing. Because I know the advantages of freelancing outweigh the hassles I experience.

Still, it can feel disheartening when life happens all at once and you can’t seem to get out of the weeds and enjoy your work. How do you stay motivated when you’re a one-person freelance team?

Here’s what I do that I hope will help you, too.

Review Your Goals, Not Tasks

Write this. Review that. Deliver this. Edit that. Hop on a call. Send an invoice. Check your email. Does the task list ever end?

No. But that’s not the point.

I didn’t sign up for freelancing to tick boxes on a to-do list. I started freelancing for career freedom. I wanted control over my working hours. I wanted to choose my own salary. I wanted to spend more time with my children.

THAT’s what I think about when I work – my goals, not my tasks. The little moving parts of my business are a means to an end. So when freelancing feels like a lot, I just think about the reasons I’m doing all of these things. That usually puts a smile on my face.

Find Something Positive Every Day

It sounds cliché, but positivity works. No matter the state of your freelance business, whether you’re losing clients, don’t have enough clients, or are facing a Herculean problem, staying positive clears your path forward.

You can always find a silver lining if you look hard enough. For me, it’s knocking off at 3 pm to pick up my kids a little early. Or it might be seeing my byline published on someone else’s website.

Whatever you’re struggling with, you can reduce its effects on you when you start and end your day with something positive. I like to keep a running list of things that make me feel good, whether it’s the link to a guest blog post I published, my monthly revenue when I'm having a good month, or something a little more personal. I’ll go to that list when I can’t shake the negativity, and it really puts things in perspective for me.

Know Who Supports You

Being in business for yourself doesn’t mean being in business by yourself. I learned this very early in my freelancing career. Working at home alone can be isolating. It made me feel out of touch with the world beyond the people I interacted with via email.

That’s why I started building a support system as soon as possible. My husband, of course, was the first. He gave me full buy-in when I said I wanted to start my own business.

I call my mom every day and tell her all the things I’m doing, even though she has no clue what I’m talking about most of the time. I share my successes with friends just to get things off my chest and have someone to celebrate with.

Support is everything when you’re in business. You need to at least feel like other people have your back, even if they’re not fully invested in your success. They can at least lend an ear or a helping hand when you need it.

Take a Day Off Just Because You Can

My freelancing why: time freedom. Four years ago, I shifted to a four-day workweek and never looked back.

If that’s not feasible for you as a freelancer, I highly suggest taking off a workday (not a holiday or a day you usually don’t work) just to see what it feels like. It’s a great way to recharge and refresh, plus it reminds you of one of the many advantages of freelancing you don’t always get with a “normal” job.

Celebrate Small Wins

No success is too small to celebrate. Toasting to an occasion or treating yourself reminds you of how amazing you really are and that everything you’re doing as a freelancer is for a reason.

Buy yourself something nice, drink a glass of champagne (my favorite), or do something out of the ordinary for yourself. Life isn’t all about work. Freelancing helps you achieve the life you want to live, so take advantage of any reason to celebrate and keep pushing forward.