Living On The Edge- Stepping Into 2023

October 11, 2022

Things are changing so fast that many individuals aren't aware or can't keep up with what's actually happening. Our living standards, job prospects, healthcare, and even currencies are shifting. Whether you are a freelancer or self-employed, are you preparing for these fluctuations workwise in 2023?

Information from around the globe concerning work trends for 2023 all have one key thing in common: things are going to be very different.

According to the article Should You Go Freelance In 2023? Only If You Can Say Yes To These 4 Things.

"Now that we're in the final quarter of 2022, you may be making some financial and career plans for 2023. And one such plan may be a move to freelance employment.

There are numerous benefits you can enjoy as a freelance professional. For one thing, you're not bound to a single employer, and that means you can set your own hours, work your own schedule, and take time away from the job when you need to. Plus, in some cases, freelancing could mean boosting your income and getting to take on projects that are more meaningful and engaging.

But going freelance is a big step, and you'll need to make sure you're ready. To that end, you'll really want to be in a position where you can say yes to these things before making that leap."

Click on the article title to discover "the 4 things you need to say yes to" before embarking on your freelance journey.

How To Prepare For Self-Employment In 2023 is an informative piece that highlights crucial financial steps you need to take in order to be successful in 2023.

"It’s important to prepare both psychologically and practically for a more independent way of life.

In particular, you need to consider certain financial realities. Let’s look at the top financial steps to help prepare for the adventure of self-employment."

1. Prepare For Retirement

2. Build A Financial Buffer: How To Prepare for Self Employment in 2023

3. Get The Most Out of Your Corporate Benefits

4. Manage Your Cash Flow: How To Prepare for Self Employment in 2023

Click on the article link in the title for more detailed info.

On another note, I was startled by the self-employment figures as of 2021. It seems that the most industrialized nations have the least amount of self-employed people while nations on the other end of the equation have far more self-employed individuals.

The chart is taken from the website Statista which includes the article Where People Are Self-Employed Around The World:

"Looking at the global state of self-employment, it becomes apparent that there is in fact an inverse correlation between the proportion of self-employed workers and the GDP of their countries. According to data from the International Labour Organization, only 12.2 percent of workers are self-employed on average in high-income economies while in low-income economies, this figure rises to 80.3 percent. This is an indicator of the prevalence of subsistence farming and people working without pay for their family businesses (also counted as self-employed in the data)."

As you can see, India has a massive 75.8% of self-employed individuals while the U.S. has only 6.1%. As the financial climate alters, I am under the impression that countries with the most self-employed will be better equipped to deal with the upheaval. Mainly because they're used to it. When most of the populace depends on a specific employer for their income, the modifications to come will be more difficult to deal with.

When you live in a society with systems in place to assist you like unemployment insurance and for older ages social security, it will take some getting used to when those safety nets are no longer readily available and first-world nations are very vulnerable to such financial scenarios such as less social security being paid and inability to get loans at small interest rates.

Countries not as industrialized as first-world nations but with higher self-employment, are used to the ups-and-downs of fiscal policies. They're also more content with "doing with less" while in industrialized nations, the citizenry will panic due to the loss of an automobile, a large home, or their daily latté from their favorite coffee shop.

Whether you are a freelancer or self-employed, the new financial climate will require you to make multiple financial alterations. For instance, have you thought about digital currencies and how you will deal with them? Are you OK with less financial freedoms and privacy? Are you willing to step-over-the-edge and do whatever it takes to maintain a certain standard of living or will you find it more practical to do with less? It's a tough call but reformations are approaching. Just do your best to stay on top of each situations by being prepared

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