A few years ago, my wife and I were forced into a do-or-die decision. I was about to lose my job due to staff cuts and we had to get another income source quickly. We had three main skills we could rely on – web designing, teaching and cooking. Freelancing as a Web Designer and giving tuition would take too long to set up. We needed something quick, so we set up a home catering business even though we didn't know the first thing about running a home business. The only thing we were sure of was that my wife was a great cook.

Two years later and with a steady customer base, we're now proud to call ourselves home business owners. We would have been up to our necks in trouble if we didn't go with our instincts and made this life-saving decision. Looking back, the transition to being home business owners wasn't difficult for us because we did what we knew best. Everyday, it's like we're cooking for a (rapidly) growing family! As we began our home catering business, I also set up a couple of websites. They're already starting to bring in money and I predict that in two years time, we will be very comfortable financially! When push came to shove, we relied on what we knew best and it pulled us through – the very talents that we considered insignificant and took for granted.

If you're thinking about starting a freelance or home based business, or if you desperately need a lifeline, get out your pen and paper and start writing. List everything that you enjoy doing. Write down every talent or ability that you have or at least you think you have. Don't leave out anything no matter how insignificant you think it is, from typing to cooking to making a great cup of coffee!

Now, go through that list one item at a time and brainstorm with your partner or a trusted friend. I say "trusted" because you want someone who can encourage you, not kill your ideas with loads of negativity! Try to come up with ideas about how you can make money using your talents. Many people don't realize that the easiest way to earn extra money or to start a home based business is to do what comes naturally. After so many years of working at a job (they probably hate), they've been conditioned to think that even a home based business has to be something that's hard to do. For my wife and me the easy way was cooking. For you, it may be something that you do everyday that you never considered to be a money maker. Let your home based business be a natural progression of what you do best!

Maybe you make sandwiches that are out of this world. Have you considered making and selling them? How about if you make coffee that you consider average but others think is simply "to die for"… could you set up a small coffee place? What about your ability to keep your house spick and span even with three very messy teenagers living with you? You could provide cleaning service to others who desperately need it! Do you get the idea? Know what you do best and expand it into a money-making home business!

Admittedly, some businesses are better money makers than others, and we are fortunate to have started a home catering business which brings in a very nice profit each month. However, I've always told my friends that when you first start out, it shouldn't be only about money. What's more important is the confidence you gain knowing that you DO have talents and abilities that can make you money. The trick of course, is to always keep learning, fine-tuning your money-making abilities, building on your strengths and never ever give up.

I'd like to leave you with this quote – "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step". You DO NOT have to lead a miserable life holding on to a job you hate. Nobody's asking you to give up your job NOW and blindly jump into a home business – that's crazy – but life holds an abundance of opportunities for you if you will only take that first step! With any luck, you WILL get sidetracked and venture into areas where you never knew you could make money! Our home catering business has opened up many opportunities which we never considered. We are finally making money doing what we do best. I know that you can too!