The freelance hustle has taken away the freedom I went independent for, what do I do?

You went independent to be free, and instead the never-ending chase for the next gig has quietly become its own cage. That is a common, honest trap. Freedom that runs on constant hustle is not really freedom; it is just a boss you cannot see. Naming that is the first step out of it. You have the craft and the reputation to always find work. That is exactly the leverage that can buy back some freedom, if you use it on purpose. The hustle continues by default until you set limits: what you will not take, what a full plate actually looks like, what an emergency fund would let you say no. Skill is only freedom when you let it protect your time, not just fill it. Pick one boundary and hold it this month. A rate you will not go below, a day you do not work, a cushion you start building so no single gig owns you. You do not need to abandon the independent life you wanted. You need to run it instead of letting it run you.