Recently I took a 2-week timeout from my regular routine to help cater to the needs of a newborn. In case you are wondering, the newborn is my great niece. I’m now proud great aunt to 2 boys and 3 girls.
I am also the go-to person whenever a family member needs assistance and I take these duties seriously. If one of my family members needs me, I drop everything to hop on the next flight. I have to get on a flight because I do not live within driving distance of any of my family members. On this latest occasion my baby soothing, diaper changing, bottle making and lullaby singing skills were needed in Nevis so off I went! By the way if you’ve never visited Nevis, you’re missing out on laid back island living with gorgeous vistas!
What do you Enjoy Doing?
My2-week escape was spent helping with the cutest EVER newborn, sight seeing and enjoying the tranquility of Nevis. I had a lot of time to contemplate life, in fact, life with joy AND money. One day as baby and her parents took a nap, I sat idly scrolling through my social media feed admiring the amazing creativity of a particular manicurist. I realized that it was not the first time that I had contemplated buying the tools to practice some of the techniques that resulted in such perfect manicures. Why is it that I have not done this as yet? the answer to that question lies in how I have prioritized my life, leaving no time and space for some of the things that I enjoy doing.
Create a Life Filled with Joy and Money
There are a few things I have always wanted to do but I never seem to find the time. It occurred to me that I have fallen into that life trap I always vowed I would never fall into. I have been neglecting the things I love and focusing more on work. All of what I truly love to do has been pushed to the back burner for ‘later’. I realized that I had not written a blog post in forever – although I love writing. I had not sketched the multitude of scenes and objects that are begging to be sketched – although I love sketching. I had not learnt how to do nail art – something I seem to have placed permanently on the ‘later’ list.
Do you know that some of the happiest and wealthiest people on earth are those who create income from doing what they genuinely enjoy? That is obvious when you think of famous TV talk show hosts like Oprah Winfrey, and Ellen DeGeneres – it is no secret that they enjoy talking! And they create income doing just that! They created a life filled with joy AND money! what’s stopping everyone from doing the same?
Create Income
Financial wealth can certainly result from a dull but lucrative job but, the satisfaction and gratification of doing something you truly love can add enjoyment to your life. We all obviously need money but do we absolutely need wealth? or is enjoyment of life more important? This depends on the individual, some of us value money over happiness. Which is more important to you?
Interestingly enough, there are conflicting views about whether wealthy people are happy! This article in Forbes Women claims that the happiest people have more time to do what they love but less money. Yet this CNBC article claims that people are happier when they are making more money. Regardless of how you look at it, joy and money seem to have a direct impact on each other. I personally think it’s a win win when you can create income doing what you love.
How Easy is it to Create Income?
There is no guarantee that your hobby can make you wealthy, but what if it can create additional income? Here is what I found;
- first, it is important to find out whether what you enjoy doing is marketable. Carefully consider your pricing. Look at what similar products or services cost and consider the time, resources and efforts invested.
- secondly, determine who your target market is, this will help you to determine how you would advertise. For instance, if you intend to sell to a younger audience, you may want to market your product or service in spaces and social media platforms they frequent e.g., Instagram, Ticktock, Snapchat etc.
One of the more informative articles I found about how to go about all of the above was this one from The Guardian.
Hopefully, even if you decide not to monetize your hobby, you will make time for the things that bring you joy! I know I most definitely will! In fact, I have already started making time for things I love to do – including this blog! I’ve even written the book below! click to purchase on Amazon or just download a free copy with a Kindle unlimited subscription.
Do leave a comment below if you found this article interesting. I appreciate your feedback.
