Dreams Don't Have To Equal Income

How many times do I need to hear or see "Follow Your Dreams"?! Everywhere I look, someone is suggesting we should all be following our dreams and earning a living through those dreams. By reading all of the self-help books, you'd think it's super simple to find the inspiration and purpose in your life and follow those dreams. Just make a list of everything you like to do (things that bring you joy) and determine if you're working hard enough on those things. If you're not, simply start. Simply start creating income from that passion. Hmmm, I'm not so sure I want my dreams to pay the bills, maybe I just want them to stay a creative outlet. Maybe I want to follow a path already laid and not create a new one.

Example... I have been designing and sewing Christmas tree skirts for decades now. I use to just give them away to friends and family and that was good enough. Well, I recently started on a journey of finding my "purpose" or inspiration and decided since I love making tree skirts so much, I should make it my "thing". I started designing skirts for "everyone" in order to sell them on Etsy. I created a new pattern, bought the fabric for multiple skirts, and got to work. Then, I listed them on Etsy, posted on social media, advertised, etc. This was slightly exciting for a while, but then my thing I like to do became a job that I felt I had to do. I had to keep creating, sewing, posting, advertising. It was no longer a hobby full of joy and creativity, it was a "had to do" and I started to resent it. I quit making tree skirts and gave away most of what I made.

I'm saying just because it brings you joy, doesn't mean it should bring income as well. Sometimes our hobbies or "passions" can't handle that kind of pressure. They are most enjoyed in their hobby state. Sometimes, the job is what feeds the hobby, allowing it to remain a creative outlet. "Creativity itself doesn't care at all about results -- the only thing it craves is the process." -Elizabeth Gilbert. I love this quote because it is absolutely true! Once you assign a result to your creativity, it's no longer creative! You've left the creative journey behind and ventured down the result driven road.

If someone suggests an "easier" path, or a "shorter work week" path, or a "follow your passions" path, there's nothing wrong with saying that's not for you and continuing on your own journey. There is no judgement if you want to work 40 hours a week working for someone else and save your hobbies for the weekends. Maybe your hobby is landscaping your property and making it the best looking yard in the neighborhood! That's enough, you don't have to follow someone else's advise if it isn't right for YOU.

If you want to build your dream into a business, then by all means, do that and I wish you luck! But, do it because YOU want to; because it's the right thing for you; because your creative process includes the result. Following YOUR path is okay. But, it's also okay to allow your dreams to bring you joy alone.