It is important to value oneself even when doing what one loves.  Unfortunately there exist people who will take advantage and more so, when they realise that you will do anything to pursue this work.  They will steal from you (ideas and more), patronise you, make you work to unrealistic deadlines, not respond to you- all while being satisfied that you will do your best in the circumstances.  What an irony!  So what can you do?

1. Balance your heart and head: do your sums- are you being exploited?  while following your heart, make sure you follow your head too.  It is your heart that feeds your soul but your head feeds your body- you need both to achieve your life’s work.

2. Find your limits- how far do you go?  What can you do when you follow your heart?  When do you give up?  When does it start to hurt?  That’s when you need to stop.

3. Be assertive- Ask for things you need- money, time and any other thing to accomplish your work.  There are many lovely people too who will help you- you need to ask!

4. Believe in abundance- the concept of going without is consistent with scarcity thinking, i.e. there is not much to go around and therefore YOU need to be the one that can do without- money, love, honour and respect.  In abundance thinking, there is enough for everyone, so there is no need to be a martyr to your cause.  You can follow your heart without having to go without.