It’s been one of those slow weeks especially after the Sinhalese & Tamil new year here in SL.

Fortunately I work out of a location in the heart of Colombo, and close enough to take a refreshing dip in a pool at the nearest hotel.

Letting my eyes rest on the greenery and the little seating spaces around the pool, I couldn’t help but feel an immense sense of gratitude, primarily for the life I can afford to live, the portfolio of amazing clients I’ve built, especially those who’ve stuck with me for more than a decade, showing me considerable kindness and consideration, and second, for the choice i made more than two decades ago to shun the 9-5 life and embrace the life of a freelancer.

The journey hasn’t been an easy one, and in a strange way, I suppose I owe my first two employers for pushing me to a point where i knew I was done with traditional employment, at least for a good long while!

My first employer came through a family connection, primarily to discourage me from following the arts, and make me focus on the well-trodden path. The business, an NGO connected to the Worldview International Foundation, Osla, Norway. The company was passed from hand to toxic, try-hard hand, and closed down in disgrace. A literal trainwreck!

The lesson I learned? Not everyone who’s older than you is wiser than you, and most pearls of wisdom that come out of the insecure & egoisitic are worthless, especially those who pretend they can live upto the image they project out into the world.

My second employer, a hotel & travel chain, one that pressed on the unsuspecting employee, how lucky they are to be a part of their “family”. I had the immense misfortune of being in the middle of a extremely toxic infatuation, between my employer, a married, socially awkward man-brat, begging for acknowledgement, and a self-deluded individual who had convinced herself that everyone was admiring her, and used the poor attention-starved man-brats infatuation to her advantage. This lasted barely 3 months before I was handing in my registration, with the HR department casually covering it all up.

This would be my last attempt at joining the rate-race, much to the chagrin of those who “knew better”.

The next few years though difficult, were transformative. I met one of Sri Lanka’s foremost fashion designers who taught me the ropes of working for yourself. I landed several clients of my own, I completed a quite a few projects, made mistakes along the way, grew (I like to believe) a formidable work ethic, made more mistakes, all the while streamlining my processes. Technology moved fast, and only got faster, adding to the tools I had to master, as well as new markets and new business processes and standards. Most importantly, I learnt responsibility, discipline, and focus!

The most important takeaway? Be careful of whose advice you take, and walk your own path! Fact is, anybody who gives you bad advice, will always dodge accountability, leaving you to deal with the consequences.

Now, here I am in 2025, nearly always tired, but thankful to be doing what I love, thankful I answer to no more insecure, corporate try-hards, and grateful to everyone who supported me along the way.