After leaving my corporate job years ago, one of the things that made me happiest was being able to gain control of my daily tasks and set my own short- and medium-term goals.
In the first few days after I quit, I couldn’t stop thinking:
Finally, no more bosses telling me what to do all month, no more annoying overtime requests, and no more tasks that don’t fit my long-term goals! Now, I’m fully in control of my time, and I can finally live life on my own terms.
Honestly, it stuck with me for weeks, and I can still picture myself thinking about it repeatedly while jogging at sunset in my neighborhood and listening to inspirational songs on my Spotify playlist.
Of course, I didn’t quit my job without a plan for making money. I mean, how could I live the life I want without cash? Haha!
So, what was my plan? I decided to start an online business.
In this post, we’ll talk about:
Why Online Business?
What got me thinking about starting an online business goes back to when I was super stressed at my second job, where my work-life balance was basically non-existent.
During that time, I was really fed up with all the tasks I hated, and it felt like I had lost control of my life because I couldn’t say no to my boss.
I was really craving some rest, time to do what I enjoy (like traveling), and most importantly, to spend with my family.
I tried my best to improve my situation at work, but I realized that there was only one solution for me:
To quit and take a leap of faith toward something that could give me the life I wanted.
That’s when blogging and online business came into the picture.
Once I discovered that an online business could let me earn money from my passions and things I love—even while I sleep—I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Not to mention, the freedom and flexibility I’d get from running an online business—the life I imagined felt perfect with them. I just couldn’t believe how amazing this could be—working from anywhere, anytime, and getting to spend time with my family and friends whenever I want or whenever they need me.
I kept saying this to myself: Life’s too short to be stuck in an office all the time, especially when there’s a whole world of amazing places to see and make memories with the people I care about.
With a very low barrier to entry and low operating costs, I didn’t hesitate to start building my online business.
What is Living on My Own Terms?
As of this writing, it’s been over three years since I started building my blog or online business. However, I still can’t say that I’m truly living on my own terms yet.
… actually, to some extent, yes, I am already living on my own terms. Because with the flexibility that my online business provides:
- I now own my time and can work whenever and wherever I want. In fact, when I’m working, you might find me at home, in a coffee shop, or at the mall. Sometimes, I even work from a resort or hotel.
- I also have a lot more time to spend with my family, whether it’s driving them to the mall or traveling abroad together.
- Most importantly, I can now pursue my goals and work on things that bring me closer to the life I want. Reflecting on my progress over the years:
- I have grown a lot, from learning about content creation to developing a growth mindset and more.
- Also, my writing has improved significantly, especially when I compare my first few blog posts to what I’m writing now.
- And more.
But if we look at how I define “living on my own terms” today, I think I still have some work to do.
Before I share my definition of “living on my own terms,” though, it’s important to note that everyone defines it differently. It depends on:
- how a person views freedom,
- the level of freedom they desire,
- and how well they understand themselves.
The definition can also change over time as someone gains more experience. For example, three years ago, my definition of “living on my own terms” was simply about:
- not having a boss,
- working on something I was passionate about,
- and spending time with my family.
But after:
- writing over 200 blog posts and enjoying the benefits of writing
- connecting with people in the industry
- reading newsletters from my favorite writers
- following travel blogs
- and reflecting on my reality
I can say that my definition of “living on my own terms” has changed significantly.
Today, for me, “living on my own terms” means making decisions and choices that align with my values, desires, and priorities, without being overly influenced by societal pressures, expectations, or the opinions of others.
It’s about creating a life that reflects my authentic self, pursuing your goals, and taking responsibility for my happiness and well-being.
That being said, I’m still not fully living on my own terms because I’m still influenced by external factors. The main one? Societal pressures.
- “When are you getting married?”
- “Why aren’t you dating anyone?”
- “Aren’t you worried about your career?”
- “Why don’t you dress more professionally?” and
- “When will you start saving for retirement?”
If you’ve heard these questions often and thought about them, you’re feeling societal pressure too.
How Online Business is Helping Me Live on My Own Terms
What I like about having an online business is that it also gives me the freedom to deal with only the people I want to deal with.
For example, since I no longer work in the office with my online business, I also don’t have to deal with that nosy officemate who always asks stressful questions like the ones I mentioned earlier.
It may sound simple, but it makes a big difference, giving me peace of mind all the time.
By definition, is online business helping me to live on my own terms? Definitely.
There are even more ways that an online business helps me live on my own terms, though.
From work-life balance (I can prioritize personal well-being and family time, reducing stress and burnout) to choice of niche (I have the freedom to choose a business niche that aligns with my interests and passions), there are many to mention but they are already obvious and self-explanatory.
However, to me, the most important way my online business helps me live on my own terms is the same reason I started it in the first place: passion monetization.
Running an online business allows me to earn money from things I love doing, which I think is one of the core meanings of ‘living on my own terms.’
Final Thoughts
While the idea of living on my own terms with an online business is incredibly appealing, it brings a set of significant challenges and responsibilities that are far from easy.
From my experience, the exhilaration of freedom comes at a price—it requires unwavering discipline and a willingness to embrace uncertainty.
A strong tolerance for risk is essential, and you must be ready to make tough trade-offs and hard decisions, especially if you’re navigating life from a middle-class background like I am.
Believe me, I’ve made a lot of these decisions, and it’s terrifying sometimes.
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