I took 14 freelance projects in one year. Tax season showed I'd worked twice as hard for less money.

Every project felt like an opportunity small ones underpriced ones ones outside my expertise. My calendar was full and I felt important. Then the numbers came in. I started declining anything below a rate I set in advance. Income went up hours went down.

The opportunities weren't bad. I was using busyness to avoid the scary work of pricing myself properly.

For those who've started saying no: was it the requests' fault or your inability to prioritize? And what are you doing right now that you'd drop immediately if you were honest about its value?