You’re allowed to like things even if they don’t make you money.
We don’t talk about this enough.
So, I recently came to a crossroads with my blog. Yes, the same blog you’re reading right now. You see, I work in marketing full time. I’m a content strategist, copywriter and editor. I understand SEO enough to get articles to the first page of Google. Like this one I wrote in 2019 which is still sitting pretty in no. 1:
That being said, is that really my goal with Danni, Unfiltered? Do I actually care about ranking high on SERPs, or do I think I should care because most people do? That’s the question I asked myself yesterday when writing a very SEO-friendly post. I believe they serve their purpose, but when I muse, I want to muse.
I want to speak naturally and truthfully and conversationally. I want people to read my words because they’ve chosen to, not because Google told them I could answer their question.
I’m great at baking vegan desserts; but, I don’t want to become a pastry chef.
I’m great at training puppies; but, I’m not about to get certified.
I’m great at finding amazing deals; but, I don’t want to be a personal shopper.
Being great at something doesn’t mean it needs to become your job.
“Sway, sometimes I don’t have the answers. I just be talking. ”
Millennial + GenZ “hobby monetization, anti-9 to 5 ft. hustle culture” has made people believe that yes, you can turn your fun hobby into your non-conventional job, but they’re missing the point.
You can still do something even if it’s not profitable. You can both Tik and Tok without going viral. You can have a hobby that never becomes a job. Also, work is still work, and as someone who is fortunate enough to have a job that they love: a job is still a job. It has obligations, and deadlines, and stress and shit; that’s not the same things as a hobby!
“You’re allowed to be bad at things you enjoy doing.”
*scream-cries*If it makes you happpyyy
I recently started writing an article about my staycation. It was half optimized and half musings and it sucked. It sucked so much I pulled it.
I spend my days optimizing, measuring, tracking. I don’t want to do that here. I want to write what feels right. (see what I did there?) whether or not it ranks…
Why are we so afraid to suck at things?
We start standardized testing before we know our ABCs, we’re ranked and classified, and prized for being “better than our competitors.” And by competitor, I mean Tommy with the snotty nose and converse who’s actually just 4 years old.
It breeds unhealthy competition, constant benchmarks and starts the rat race before we even know what a rat freaking is!
We’re told that if we can’t be the best, why even try. And if you do try, and you suck; try something different.
This is all to say, I like this space, whether it gets 30, 300 of 300,000 visits I want it to feel as authentically “me” as possible. I’ll leave the SEO and tracking for my day job.
In case no one told you this, pick up that uke, that guitar, that paintbrush and freak what you feel! Life is too short to only engage in activities that give you taxable income.
