What could you do for hours on end without expectation of monetary payment? What would you do more of if money didn’t matter so much? While the word ‘hobby’ is described as an activity usually done for relaxation or pleasure in leisure time, many a thriving career has sprung from just that – a hobby.

There’s a school of thought that making money needs to be mentally taxing and related to the tedious, but there is such a thing as a labour of love that doesn’t feel like arduous work even though it involves: 

• vision
• effort
• time
• commitment

Loving what you do and how you serve is more than possible – it’s doable. Let’s talk about it in today’s post.

TURNING YOUR HOBBY INTO A CAREER

Before we go through the 12-step process, a little note that not all given gifts are meant to be commercialized and sometimes we are called to different assignments in seasons, so be honest with yourself as you go through the questions included and steps shared.

• What would you do more of if you knew you could earn through it?

• What gift have you been neglecting that’s still knocking at your door?

• If you have a job away from where you live, what’s your mood like when you wake up and state of mind on your way to work?
• What activities bring you joy?

Your job, career field, clients, work colleagues and general environment can influence your daily mood, character, priorities, breathing pattern, facial expression, sense of fashion and overall health. Count the amount of waking hours you generally have in each gifted day – how many of those are spent under tense circumstances (not muscle-building ones but stressful or draining ones)? How many are well-paced and enjoyed and how many are assigned to necessary rest? Whatever numbers you came up with, consider the fact that you have one life – and it counts.

The rewards that come with doing what you love are worth more than striving just for money that can come and go. On a real, no landlord, store or bank is likely to give a waiver on rent, a bill or a loan because you’ve been so busy practicing your juggling skills that the rent or mortgage payment was late – money is necessary in this world, but earning it doesn’t have to come at the expense of your joy and time.

If you are working at a stressful job, don’t lose hope – and please don’t call it quits just because you read this…but if you’ve been finding yourself lacking zeal at your job and longing to make a living through the things you truly enjoy, make a plan, keep faith as fuel and believe – know that it is doable. It’s just as possible to make a conscious decision to pour more joy into a current job in the meantime, so be patient with your process.

Of course, challenging days, seasons and situations happen even when working from home on your own, but the level of external distractions is considerably different. Working at home is not an effortless joyride as some tend to believe. Turns out, you’re gonna have to learn how to pace tending to household duties while taking care of business – but even that can have a sweet eb and flow when you set the timer of it all to a bpm that works well for you.

When you enjoy what you do, it can also be challenging to discipline yourself into taking purposeful pockets of rest.

Are you’re already anticipating what your fresh start can look like? Well, here are some practical steps forward. You might want to have a notebook and paper or typing thingie to jot down or type out your answers and ideas that come up. The essence of what’s in your notes can help shape your new and upgraded life vision and rhythm.

From Hobby To Career | 12 Step Process:

• List your gifts
• Start with what you have
• Name your resources
• Outline your vision, strengths and weaknesses
• Reach out
• Recognize a need and fill it
• Know your market
• Set aside time to practice, nurture those gifts and sharpen your skills
• Decide on (and design) your products/services/sales method
• Set a workflow & creative space
• Define boundaries for your business that align with your priorities and wellness
• Include joy in the picture (not someone else’s validation.)

Bonus step: Start a blog (a site or blog) can be an online community or storefront for your hobby as is or before and after it blossoms into a career.)

P.S: While there may be some awkwardness in the transition time as you adapt to your hobby becoming a career, remember you are free – don’t let your new business boss you around or override your wellness. Also, if there is a change in your lifestyle at any point don’t be embarrassed about it; if anything remember the upgrade in your quality of life. Learn from it, tweak what you need to, smile and move on. 

It’s a gift to know what your gifts are, a blessing to share them, and a daily act of mercy to even have breath and time to use.

Celebrating with you already, sis!

With love and joy.

For anyone who’s not sure about your gifts and skills – I am 100% certain you’re undermining even what might seem like the tiniest things. Can you write, bake, sew, fold clothes, decorate well – have a knack for finding the best bargains or growing things – overcome something many are still struggling with – speak another language – know how to make this or that – good listener – called to care for others in need…? We’ve all been given gifts and all learned/learning something at one point or another. Start there…

Related posts: Benefits Of Setting Healthy Boundaries For Your Home-Based Business

Your Business Is Not Your ‘Bae’ | Encouragement For The Overworking Woman

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Thanks for coming by and reading today’s post. If you’re inspired to help support this blog and beyond, the PayPal email address is itsjoywithin@gmail.com – thanks very much and hope to see you in the next post.