Mi generación (nací a principios de los 90) ha crecido escuchando la frase “haz lo que te gusta y no tendrás que trabajar un solo día de tu vida”. Creo que no hay frase que odie más y es que cualquier trabajo viene con sus dificultades, en mi caso algunos procesos creativos pueden ser bastante tediosos y rellenar facturas o declarar impuestos nunca han sido mis pasiones. No me malinterpreten, sé que tener una profesión que se alinee con lo que me gusta hacer es un enorme privilegio y me siento agradecido de poder vivir de lo que me gusta y de lo que estudié. De cualquier manera, monetizar tus hobbies modificará la relación que tienes con esa pasión./ My generation (I was born in the early 90’s) has grown up hearing the phrase “do what you like and you won’t have to work a single day of your life”. I think there is no phrase that I hate more because every job comes with its difficulties, in my case some creative processes can be quite tedious and filling out invoices or filing taxes have never been my passions. Don’t get me wrong, I know that having a profession that aligns with what I like to do is an enormous privilege and I am grateful to be able to make a living from what I like. Either way, monetizing hobbies will modify the relationship you have with that passion in some levels.
MONETIZING HOBBIES…. NOT A STRICT RULE 💸
Hay una trampa contemporánea en el argumento de volver de los hobbies una fuente de ingresos. Sí, en tiempos difíciles, la innovación puede salvar cuentas bancarias y vidas, incluso generar empleos para terceras personas, sin la monetización de los hobbies no tendríamos a muchas personas creativas o marcas que hoy admiramos. Aún así creo que hay que tener ciertas pasiones sólo porque son disfrutables, y monetizar los hobbies no debe ser una regla certera en todos los casos./ There is a contemporary trap in the argument of monetizing hobbies. Yes, in difficult times, innovation can save bank accounts and lives, even create jobs for third parties, without the monetization of hobbies we would not have many creative people or brands that we admire today. Still, I think you have to have certain passions just because they are enjoyable, and monetizing hobbies should not be an accurate rule in all cases.
Al igual que muchos millennials, se me educó con la idea de encontrar en mis hobbies o en mis talentos una posible carrera u oficio. Esto ha marcado mi vida laboral y la de muchas personas, reforzando la idea de que mi atención pertenece a aquello que pueda dar un beneficio económico, dejando el placer en segundo término. En esta era del ajetreo se nos dice que la ganancia monetaria es la meta: “si se te da bien hacer pasteles, véndelos”, “si eres bueno dibujando paisajes, saca provecho de eso” y si no lo haces, pareciera que estás dejando pasar una oportunidad./ Like many millennials, I was brought up with the idea of finding a possible career in my hobbies or talents. This framework has configurated my professional life life, reinforcing the idea that my attention belongs to profit than on pleasure or happiness. In this age of hustle we are told that monetary gain is the goal: “if you are good at making cakes, sell them”, “if you are good at drawing landscapes, take advantage of that” and if you do not, it seems that you are missing a big opportunity.
Esto no quiere decir que no se pueda encontrar felicidad en monetizar un hobby, pero a partir de cruzar esa línea habrá presión añadida y vendrán muchas de las cosas “negativas” que conlleva el tener un trabajo. De cualquier manera no cambiaría mi carrera sólo por esos puntos negativos, pero es algo que hay que tener en cuenta a la hora de monetizar tus hobbies./ This doesn’t mean that happiness cannot be found in monetizing a hobby, but from crossing that line there will be added pressure and many of the “negative” things that come with having a job will knock on your door. In any case, I would not change my career just for those negative points, but it is something that must be taken into account when monetizing hobbies.
“So, what do you do for living”?….. “Do you sell these?”
Hay que guardar para nosotros ciertas actividades que más allá de ganar un dinero nos sirvan como escape personal para enriquecer nuestras vidas, sin esperar que sea esto lo que pague nuestro alquiler o llene de comida nuestra nevera. Por ejemplo, a mí me encanta hacer bouquets de flores, pero no me haría florista, es algo que disfruto en mis tiempos libres y que me supone un oasis mental para poder sobrevivir a todo lo demás./ We must save for ourselves certain activities that beyond earning money serve as a personal escape to enrich our lives, without expecting that those activities can pay our rent or fills our fridge with food. For example, I love making flower bouquets, but I would not become a florist, it is something that I enjoy in my spare time and that is a mental oasis for me to survive everything else.
¿Son nuestros hobbies una pérdida de tiempo si no podemos monetizarlos? No, y son esenciales para seguir viviendo, ya que nos permiten explorar el mundo de una manera libre, sin tantos juicios o expectativas. Incluso si no puedes sacar dinero de ese hobby, ten por seguro que esa actividad tiene un propósito en tu existencia o que hará que tu mente rinda en todas tus otras actividades (incluso en las pagadas). Ah, y recuerda disfrutar del proceso./ Are our hobbies a waste of time if we can’t monetize them? No, and they are essential to continue living, since they allow us to explore the world in a free way, without so many judgments or expectations. Even if you can’t make money out of that hobby, take for granted that this activity has a purpose in your existence or that it will make your mind tick on all your other activities (even paid ones). Oh, and remember to enjoy the process.
Hola Pablo, how’s going your Summer?
Thre are still restrictions in Barcelona or is it almost back to normality as here in Rome? Here the weather is bloody hot and even pretty humid, so I spend my days at home or at the swimming pool ans don’t take a step out before the 21.00 (since finally we have no more curefew!!!)^^
Summer in Barcelona is amazing: I imagine you spendig the day at the beach, take a stroll on the ramblas and having fun all night long among paellas and sangria (well, at least when you don’t have to work)!
– this was more or less what I did on my last trip in Barcelona for my bff bachelorette ^^-
Cant wait to have the chance to travel again!
Anyway lest’s pass to more serius topics: money and how to get it!
Really I think that our generation really grew up filled of illusions, in any possible way and field: work, look, attitude, love, exc. and now that we are adults we are paying the bill, crashing against reality.
You can’t look like a supermodel, have a Disney prince as a boyfrind and earning money easily and with no strives. Sad but true.
I mean: if you do a job that you don’t hate or in which you’ve got some interest is just an amazing thing (and a luck only for few), but it’s clear that is totally unrealistic to expect to have a job which you are happy every moment. Maybe you can be happy of the core of a certain job, but definitely thare will always be hundreds of connected things you don’t like to do.
Job is job, if it would just monetizing hobbies, it would still called habby, don’t you think?
That said, I know well the luck of having a job that you like, but I bet that everybody would exchange it with some billions and no need to work for the rest of your life!^^
To end, I tally love your suit!!!! especially the shape of your pants: it looks so modern and chic: I’d wear it too!
Amazing photos, as well, always very creative and original!
XO
S
https://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.com/
Hey Silvia,
Hope you’re doing great and thank you so much for your visit. As usual it makes my day when I see your comment and discover that you took the time to read and to share your personal experiences with me about the topic of the day. Being honest I can’t handle the heat anymore hahaha, but luckily I’ll be able to travel at the end of the summer, I would love to go to a beach town since the virus is once again with force over here 🙁
Haha and yes, “money and how to get it”. Obviously we need money in order to have a house and it is necessary even to buy the things for our hobbies, but in the end it is not the only thing that could give you happiness and breaks with a certain passion are mandatories in order to stay healthy don’t you think!
Thanks again and also thanks for your compliment!
Pablo
It can be a toss up and not so easy earning a living doing your passion also lol with graphics you are spot the majority of it is quite tedious and technical. But at least with hobbies you can always enjoy it!! And yes no matter what you do, hobby or otherwise you have to enjoy the process.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Ugh I know! Quite tedious and technical, you did a really good explanation of the things I hate sometimes about this profession, but I still have some hobbies related to graphic (but that are not my work 100%) that I really enjoy!
I am with you, on hating that phrase, “do what you like and you won’t have to work a single day of your life”. What an oversimplification!
The jobs I held in my life were those that utilized my strengths. Some were very interesting, some were challenging, and a few boring, but none were my hobbies. Now, I do have some hobbies (making jewelry) that I put into an Etsy shop, because I like making jewelry more than I like wearing it. LOL! But I’ve resisted the urge to monetize my blog. (Actually, that’s not entirely true. I did monetize it for a short time and I hated it.) The idea that an activity is only worthwhile if it creates income is crap. There are a lot of ways people earn a living that imo are a blight on civilization. But I digress.
Even with my small Etsy shop, I don’t enjoy the processes necessary for listing an item. So it’s important to realize there are trade offs to earning money from a hobby. And no doubt even more trade-offs to making. Hobby your main source of income.
A really good post, Pablo! I hope all is well with you.
Hello Michelle, thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences with me about this topic 🙂
I totally congratulate you for keeping that passion for certain hobbies, but for example you’re pointing out that even if you want to make a bit of money out of this hobby you don’t necessary enjoy the process of listing an item and all the necessary things you have to do around paperwork, shipping processes and similar, right?
Have a lovely day ♥️
This is a really interesting topic.
I’m really glad I did my studies in fashion because I was very passionate about it.
But I know what you mean when you said after working for your hobby you can start to see the negative aspects of it.
No jobs are easy. It may be more fun but at the end it’s still work and it can still make you truly tired and fed up about it.
And I totally understand you when you said all hobbies can’t become business. It’s good to keep a part of hobbies which won’t find the urge of making money while doing it.
I’m all about the slow life and doing small activities without benefit out of it.
Like always the illustrations and collage for illustrating your article are amazing. I’m really exciting for the opening of your shop.
And I love what you’re wearing here. This pastel suit is to die for.
xx
Margot
https://troughthepasturesofthesky.com
Hello Margot, thank you so much for checking it out and for sharing your story (specifically related to fashion) with me 🙂
Exactly! The best in order to have a healthy balance is to keep some hobbies specifically for our free time 🙂 As you well said small activities can really benefit our mood.
And thanks for your compliments about my pastel suit, can’t wait to wear it in the colder months 🙂
Great post. I think I accidentally left a comment for this post on an older one. I’m travelling without my laptop and I’m not a cellphone person.
p.s. love your pic.
Don’t worry Ivana ! I checked out the blog post where you left the comment! I appreciate that you took the time to check it 🙂
I love this series! I think this perspective is a really interesting one too, of course one can have hobbies without having to monetize them. But I agree that we fill our lives with so many activities and so much pressure, that it’s not easy to just do something for fun and for yourself. And even worse when your job doesn’t pay enough and you feel like you need to find extra income. But if you’re well off financially and don’t need more money, no pressure to turn your hobbies into monetized ones! Xx
Hello Mia, thank you so much for your lovely comment! I think exactly the same 🙂
Have a lovely week!
What an amazing suit on you, and great phtos!
I think you raise an interesting point – I like the idea of being paid to do what I love but I also like having hobbies without the pressure! I do monetise my blog but in a very relaxed way – I have no urge for it to become a big money maker, it’s nice I earn a little but knowing how much time and effort I’d have to dedicate to it to turn it into a career turns me off. I prefer my day job for that and having my blog be my escape from stress and deadlines, haha!
Hope you are having a nice week! 🙂
Hello Mica, thank you so much for the compliments
Also thanks for sharing your personal experience. I feel happy to know that you have your blog as a personal escape from stress and deadlines! That’s the perfect balance and I hope you can keep finding joy in blogging for many years!
Hey Fungi,
I completely agree with you point of view. One of my all time favorite hobbies is salsa dancing, but I wouldn’t want it to become my job because then I feel like the joy I get from dancing will escape me. Once something becomes a job there is lots of pressure to keep up with it and sometimes you can get completely lost along the way.
Have a great weekend!
http://www.fashionradi.com
Hola Radi,
Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you can keep enjoying salsa dancing for many years, there is no necessity to monetize it! Dance as much as you can without the pressure of being a professional 🙂
Happy day! ♥️
Hey Fungi!
How are you? I hope you are having lovely days with flowers!
I totally agree with you about monetizing a hobby. You are great because you can write about the difficult theme from various viewpoints! I notice how to keep balance by your blog! It is amazing that you post about the series whenever I am confused:)
Anyway, you are so cool in the neutral color matching set, and I really love photos!! There are a lot of inspirations! Thank you always, Fungi!
akiko
https://kimonosnack.blogspot.com
Hey Akiko,
Doing better this week 🙂 I have some anthuriums at home but I always want to get more and more flowers haha!
Thank you so much for sharing your comment with me and for your compliments about my matching set, I got inspired by some of your lovely fashion illustrations 😉
‘“do what you like and you won’t have to work a single day of your life”. I think there is no phrase that I hate more because every job comes with its difficulties, ‘
I fully agree. This is selling us into this illusion when 99% of the time a job is just a job and is needed in society for it to move. It’s okay to separate yourself from what you have to do. Though I don’t judge people who do monetize their hobbies and who love their jobs, not everything you love should be paid. Takes the fun out of it most times tbh.
Hello there, thank you for checking it out.
You couldn’t explain this better…. thanks! The really fun part of a job is not that big in comparisson to all the paperwork or to the “tedious” parts. Having fun is also a serious job of course 🙂
Well said I am froma different generation and I have always done what I love All creative jobs and the moment I did not I lost myself and now I am back living my life the way I want not the way others want. So do what you love and never give up Cris
http://www.photosbycris.com.au/?p=14701
Thanks for stopping by Cris ♥️
This is such an important topic to discuss! As someone who is considering freelance creative work after college, I am really enjoying your freelancer notes. Our society definitely has a toxic relationship with work and we truly believe everything we do has to make money, when in reality that is not the key to happiness. It is so important to have hobbies on the side that don’t make any money! My hobbies lately have been making cocktails and playing video games haha. I hope you are having a good week so far!
Jill
https://jilliancecilia.com/
Hey Jill, thank you so much for checking out this series and I hope you can find some useful information in these freelancer notes, all of them are collected through personal experiences but you never stop learning right 🙂
Of course money is important, in the end we have to pay a lot of things but you’re right, not the maximum key to happiness and it can also be found in many activities that don’t necessarily have to be monetized 🙂
I also think that if people want to do a job they like, it is necessary to maintain enthusiasm and original intention. And also need to keep a hobby that can make oneself quiet and simple and happy.
brazilian human hair wigs
Thank you so much for stopping by 🙂