The difference between surviving and thriving isn’t talent, luck, or even experience—it’s your creative mindset. I sat down with Sabrina Del Duca on Get Into Flow to break down the hard truths about freelancing, burnout, and how a near-death experience redefined the way I think, create, and run my business.
There’s a moment, about 1,000 km into a solo bike trip across Canada, when you start questioning every life choice that led you there.
Mine came somewhere in Newfoundland, where I found myself battling freezing temperatures, low blood sugar, and the creeping grip of hypothermia.
I had two choices: keep moving or risk never waking up.
Freelancing—especially as a creative—is a lot like that.
There’s exhilaration, adventure, and a sense of freedom, but also brutal uncertainty, long stretches of famine, and moments where you wonder if you made the right decision at all.
It’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and scarcity. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned—whether on a bike or in business—it’s this:
Your success isn’t just about talent or luck. It’s about understanding the balance of choice and chance.
That was a major theme in my recent chat with Sabrina Del Duca on Get Into Flow.
We unpacked what it really takes to survive as a freelancer—how to manage a creative mindset, navigate the feast-or-famine cycle, and actually build a business without selling your soul.
Here are 3 key lessons from our conversation.
Lesson #1. Scarcity Will Kill Your Creativity—Unless You Take Control
Freelancers love to preach about “abundance.” But when you’re struggling to get started or experiencing an unexpected famine:
When your income is running dry and your bills are stacking up, abundance feels like a cruel joke.
Panic mode activating in 3… 2… 1…
This is not good.
When you panic, you start to make bad decisions.
Like saying yes to underpaying, uninspiring projects. Discounting your rates. Wasting hours on social media, hoping something will stick.
You’re now snared in the scarcity trap, my friend.
And while scarcity is a powerful way to persuade and sell (e.g., “Limited spots available!“), a scarcity mindset breeds desperation–and clients can smell it from a mile away.
On the podcast, I talked about how I stopped waiting for opportunities to fall into my lap and started creating my own momentum.
My best move? Cold outreach.
Not spammy, soulless AI-generated emails, but thoughtful, targeted messages to people I actually wanted to work with.
However, the hardest part to this method is detaching yourself from immediate results.
Because most of the time, people won’t need your services right now—but when they do, you’ll be the first person they remember.
For freelance services like mine, copywriting and web design, the “sales cycle” is longer than the impulse buying we all know and love on black Friday.
So instead of wasting energy on platforms that aren’t bringing in leads, commit to five targeted outreach emails per day.
- Make them personal
- Make them specific
- Make them about how you can actually help
That’s it. Five emails a day. Do this consistently, and you’ll never have to rely on wishful thinking (or lowball clients) again.
Lesson #2. How to Avoid the Feast-or-Famine Burnout
The biggest threat to freelance success isn’t lack of talent—it’s inconsistency.
For many freelancers, including me, we’re riding the feast-or-famine rollercoaster:
- Hustle like mad to land projects.
- Get busy with client work.
- Stop marketing because you’re swamped.
- Finish projects, realize you have no leads, panic.
- Repeat.
Sound familiar?
This is where flow comes in.
Flow isn’t just about getting in the zone while working—it’s about creating a sustainable rhythm in your business so you’re never scrambling for work or feeling completely burnt out.
One of my biggest takeaways from the podcast discussion was that freelancers need to market themselves even when they’re busy.
That means:
- Always be networking. Not in a cringy, sales-y way—just stay top of mind. Comment on posts, share insights, and keep conversations going.
- Dedicate time to your business. I prioritize my business during my morning coffee and write an article or create assets that will benefit me–and then–I’ll start work on client projects.
- Batch your marketing. Write content, schedule outreach, and automate as much as possible so you don’t drop the ball when things get hectic.
- Filter your clients. Not every project is worth your energy. Work with people who respect your time and expertise.
Mastering flow means playing the long game.
Freelancers who thrive aren’t the ones who grind the hardest—they’re the ones who stay in motion, even when things are good.
It’s not about endless hustle; it’s about momentum.
Because in this business, if you stop moving, you stall out.
And that brings me to the final (and biggest) lesson from my conversation with Sabrina.
Lesson #3: The Endless Cycle of Choice and Chance
Let’s go back to that moment in Newfoundland, when I was freezing to death in a town called Come By Chance (yes, that’s the real name).
I was alone, exhausted, and running on fumes. The wind was howling, my water bottles were frozen solid, and my body was shutting down.
Then, through sheer luck—or maybe just stubbornness—I spotted a patch of sunlight on a hill. I crawled up, collapsed, and soaked in whatever warmth I could before drifting off to sleep.
I didn’t know how long I was out, but I jolted awake, gasping for breathe and shivering uncontrollably.
I may have came here by chance, but if I don’t choose to keep moving–this is where it ends.
Freelancing works the same way.
There will always be factors you can’t control—bad clients, algorithm changes, unexpected dry spells.
But the decisions you make inside those moments of uncertainty will determine whether you thrive or go under.
You choose:
⚡ To put yourself out there or sit in fear.
⚡ To refine your process or wing it.
⚡ To charge what you’re worth or stay in the cheap seats.
Chance may throw you into the unknown, but choice determines whether you make it out alive.
Big Thanks to Sabrina Del Duca 🙇♂️
Massive shoutout to Sabrina Del Duca for having me on Get Into Flow. She’s a Transformational Mindset Coach helping women break free from societal molds and design a life that actually feels right for them. If you’re feeling stuck, uninspired, or like you’re just checking boxes in life, she’s the person to help you break through that.
- Follow the Podcast: @GetIntoFlowPodcast
- Connect with Sabrina: @DuchessSabrina
Need Help Mastering Your Creative Mindset?
If you’re a new freelancer struggling in a feast-or-famine cycle and need a real strategy to break free, let’s chat.
I offer 1:1 video consultations where we can:
Freelancing is a mental game. You can have all the talent in the world, but without the right creative mindset, you’ll stay stuck in the cycle of burnout, bad clients, and inconsistent income.
What’s the biggest roadblock keeping you from thriving?
Share yours in the comments below!
Choice vs Chance: My Near-Death Life Lesson in Newfoundland
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