As a person who gets anxious talking to strangers, I was a bit intimidated by the responsibility of cold calling for my startup. If I got nervous from something as small as calling a store to see when it was open, how would I be able to sell a product over the phone?

When I moved to New York, my 15-minute bike commute to work turned into a 30-minute subway ride. While the change seemed negative at first, I realized it was an opportunity to put time into the reading and learning that I otherwise wouldn't have made time for.

I made the switch to self-employment two years ago, and have since enjoyed my professional life so much more. However, like with everything in life, self-employment also has its drawbacks. Here are a few ways – good and bad – in which self-employment has affected my day-to-day life.

When I graduated from college five years ago, I pledged to make a personally significant donation every year to a cause that meant something to me. Since then, it has made me more thankful and more aware of how I want the world to change.

When I switched from a full-time job to being self-employed, I struggled to be as productive as I wanted to be. Tracking my work hours was the change that turned it around.

For me, the most important part when I freelance is creating a positive work relationship with my client. Not only does the work become more enjoyable for both parties, but I am able to ask my client in the future for referrals or a testimonial.

In the last four years, I’ve significantly grown in my ability and confidence to start a site from scratch, and a perfect reflection of this is in the evolution of my personal site.