The Freedom I Prayed For

After my first blog, many people reached out with the same question lingering beneath their curiosity: “So… how much do you earn now?” It’s a fair question, and I understand why people ask it. When you’ve lived on ₱12,000 a month — carefully calculating what remains after deductions for tax, Pag-IBIG, SSS, and PhilHealth — income feels like the only measure that matters. When every grocery trip requires mental math and every unexpected expense brings quiet anxiety, numbers feel heavy. They feel urgent. They feel like survival.

But before I talk about where I am now, I want to take you back to 2015 — the year everything quietly began to change.

At that time, remote work wasn’t the booming industry it is today. There were no massive freelancing communities, no viral TikTok tutorials about earning dollars online, and no structured pathways that made the transition easy. It was unfamiliar territory, and stepping into it felt both exciting and uncertain. I didn’t have a master plan. I just had the desire to create breathing room for my family.

My first opportunity came from a direct client based in Australia. Their business focused on selling Yellow Pages listings to local businesses, and my role was as an appointment setter. I cold-called business owners, introduced the service, handled objections, and booked appointments for the sales team. It wasn’t glamorous work. It required resilience, confidence, and the ability to handle rejection without taking it personally. Some days, I heard “no” more times than I could count.

But what made that role life-changing wasn’t just the experience — it was the rate.

I was earning $15 per hour, starting part-time and eventually moving into full-time work. In 2015, the USD to PHP exchange rate was around ₱45.52 per dollar. That meant I was earning approximately ₱682.80 per hour.

When I first did the math, I had to pause.

In one hour, I was earning more than what my husband earned in an entire day at ₱330. And I was earning it from home.

That realization didn’t make me feel superior. It made me feel hopeful.

For the first time, I understood that my earning potential was not confined to local salary standards. My skills had global value. Geography was no longer a limitation. I could live in the Philippines and earn internationally. That shift in mindset was more powerful than the paycheck itself.

Still, it wasn’t easy.

Cold calling tests your confidence daily. It stretches your communication skills. It forces you to grow thicker skin and stronger discipline. But every appointment I set strengthened my belief in myself. Every successful call reminded me that I was capable of more than I had allowed myself to imagine.

Over time, something inside me began to change. I stopped seeing myself as someone stuck in circumstance and started seeing myself as someone building something meaningful. I began thinking long-term. I began investing in my skills. I began understanding that this wasn’t just a side income — it was a foundation.

Then 2020 arrived.

When the pandemic disrupted businesses and created uncertainty across the world, many families experienced fear and instability. I remember watching the news and feeling grateful that years earlier, I had taken that uncertain step into remote work. I was already working from home. I was already earning in dollars. I was already present with my children.

While the world paused, I did not have to panic.

I was able to continue working, continue providing, and continue being present in my children’s lives during a time when presence mattered most. That season confirmed something deeply personal to me: this path wasn’t accidental. It felt like preparation. It felt like provision.

Today, yes, I earn far more than I did in 2015. The numbers have grown in ways that once felt impossible to imagine when I was earning ₱12,000 a month in the BPO industry. But what truly changed my life isn’t just the income.

It’s the freedom.

The freedom to choose the clients I work with. The freedom to structure my day around my family. The freedom to say no to opportunities that don’t align with my values. The freedom to live without the constant fear that one paycheck determines everything.

Back in 2015, I was an appointment setter cold-calling Australian businesses about Yellow Pages listings. I was simply trying to create a little more space for my family to breathe.

Today, I am living proof that one skill — applied consistently, improved intentionally, and trusted faithfully — can change the direction of your life.

If you are at the beginning right now, earning little, doubting yourself, wondering whether this path truly works, let me remind you: your current situation is not your final chapter. Your starting rate does not define your future potential. And the small opportunity in front of you might be the doorway to something far greater than you can currently see.

Ten years ago, I prayed for stability.

What I received was freedom.

And that, more than any number, is the real blessing.

Next.. I'll tell you how I added another client. =)

✍️ About the Author

Ms. Maureen Gonzales is an Electrical Engineering graduate, a seasoned Virtual Assistant and Operations Professional with over a decade of experience in remote work and customer service. She began her journey in the BPO industry before transitioning to the virtual workspace in 2015—a leap that completely transformed her career and lifestyle.

Since then, Maureen has supported CEOs, real estate professionals, and business leaders around the world, specializing in administrative management, real estate operations, and digital workflow systems. She has mastered a wide range of tools, from Zoho One and Salesforce to Follow-Up Boss and Google Workspace, proving that excellence thrives even outside the traditional office.

Beyond her professional expertise, Maureen is passionate about empowering others—especially fellow parents and aspiring virtual assistants—to build sustainable, flexible careers from home. Her story is a testament to perseverance, growth, and the power of embracing change in the digital age.

📧 Email: maureen@parazure.com 💼 LinkedIn