If it feels good to your soul, do it
A reminder about hobbies.
I got into such flow when writing this in the bath earlier this week, that I didn't remember where the original thought that sparked it came from.
I’ve been thinking about a project that I want to pick up and I noticed myself observing my thoughts as they passed. My first thought was about how much said hobby would cost me, and the second—almost immediately—was about how soon I thought I might be able to make money back by selling something aligned to it. The speed of that thought arising: can I make money from it? Creative, curious minds hijacked by hustle. Yes, we may be able to, but allow space for the initial desire, for the first why to stand on its own and be enough.
Will I be happy to spend the money? Yes. Will I be glad to spend the time? Yes.
Then, that's it.
If it feels good to your soul, do it.
Not if it's marketable.
Not if it's scaleable.
Not if it might become your 9-5 if you spend every 5-9 doing it.
If it makes you smile.
If it brings contentment.
If it shares your zone of genius.
If it delights your zone of good enough.
If it expands your will to give it a go and maybe even come back next week.
If it brings you community.
If it helps make some days less lonely -
for you or someone else.
If it reminds you that there's more to life.
If it spends some time from your days in ways where you couldn't imagine doing anything else.
If it brings satisfying fruition after enduring frustration. The kind that reminds the blood coursing through your veins what it's like to care about something.
If it gets 1000 likes. If it gets none.
If it remains entirely private, for an audience of one.
If you didn't film it but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.
If it makes you money. If it doesn't.
If it's neither side nor hustle.
Instead, one part of many parts that make up the mosaic of you.
If it matters. If it progresses.
If it was just a one-off bit of fun you'll never do again in your life.
If it answers a 'what if...?'
If it soothes an 'I wonder.'
If it's not really your usual thing
With no category to sit under.
If it expands, if it elevates; if it expresses, if it motivates.
If it mobilises, if it experiments
If it challenges the little voice inside you that has always quietly dictated your life.
If it doesn't work out the way you thought it would.
If it leads to a place the sat nav of your mind dared never navigate to, and wouldn't have been able to conjure up the coordinates for where you've ended up anyway.
If it brings fulfilling peace.
And, if it feels good to your soul, do it.
Love this. I talked recently with colleagues about 'how do we know when we're aligned with purpose' - the two best answers - 'it feels good in my body' and 'my soul makes a sigh of relief' - I think this applies to so-called hobbies too. I think we forget how important following our curiosity can be - more and more I think it's a nudge from my soul.
It's SO hard, in this culture, to step out from under the shadow of commerce. I struggle with the same intrusive thoughts that tell me something I'm interested in is only worth doing if I can monetize it. It can feel like a rebellious act to do something simply for the joy it brings - no strings attached.