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You might be wondering how to follow your passion and start a side hustle this New Year?

Well, now is the perfect time!

What Did You Learn from This Year?

If these last few years have taught us anything, it’s that we are more resilient than we realized. What else did you learn about yourself this year? Were you able to form stronger bonds with people in your life? Did you have more time to do the things you wanted?

For me, this was a year of tremendous personal growth. A lot that happened made me realize that the little, stupid things that I usually stress about are not worth a thought.

I used to ask myself if Iโ€™m getting close to fulfilling my purpose or if I should just switch paths altogether. This year has confirmed that Iโ€™m on the right path and one step closer every day to reaching my goals.

You can reach yours too! Starting with something as simple asโ€ฆ having a New Year’s Resolution to follow your passion and go after that side hustle you’ve always wanted.

[This post was originally posted January of 2022. Updated December of 2022]

What is Your Dream Side Hustle?

Itโ€™s time to redefine what โ€œNew Years Resolutions โ€ mean to us so we can actually follow our dreams! We can do anything we set our minds to!

Sometimes going after big dreams are scary though… especially when weโ€™re faced with the daunting task of planning them out. Itโ€™s almost as if a sneaky devil pops in and toys with our brains a little. We begin to wonder whether weโ€™re capable of such a tremendous life change. Itโ€™s a leap of faith after all.

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New Year, New You!

Ask yourself if your life could be better spent doing something more meaningful to you!

Itโ€™s not too late to make your dreams come true. Youโ€™ve got this! New year, new you! Letโ€™s go!

โ€œA-a-ay, Iโ€™m on vacation

Every single day โ€™cause I love my occupation

A-a-ay, Iโ€™m on vacation

If you donโ€™t like your life, then you should go and change itโ€ฆ.โ€

 “Vacation“, Dirty Heads

Follow Your Passion

What does that mean for you? Maybe itโ€™s time to turn your passion into a side hustle?

More than ever before, people from all different professions are working remote. That gives many of us the opportunity of a lifetime to pursue what weโ€™re passionate aboutโ€ฆ professionally.

Itโ€™s great because you donโ€™t have to commit to it 100% by quitting your day jobโ€ฆ Do it on the side until you make enough money that you can do it full time.

Donโ€™t worry if your year is getting off to a slow start. You have the rest of the year to see progress. Remember, life is short. This blog is like an exercise to train your mind to follow your passion.

If You Could Get Paid to Do Anything, What Would it Be?

Why does anyone do what theyโ€™re passionate about? Because you probably canโ€™t live without it!

Get Inspired, Then Go Do it

It is so important to find that thing that you love to do the most and just do itโ€ฆ Even if it initially starts with you seeing someone else doing it and then, being inspired to go for it yourself.

As a young girl, I maintained a collection of my favorite articles from magazines.. like obsessively so.. anyway I could get them.. doctors offices, libraries, you name itโ€ฆ Yes, I realize that technically means I was stealing themโ€ฆ

Then, in my free time, I would sit and flip through the pagesโ€ฆ skipping all the BS ads and phony photoshoots. I just wanted to read every article.. one by one.

Iโ€™d rearrange the articles into a binderโ€ฆ basically creating my own magazine minus the โ€œother stuffโ€โ€ฆ

Eventually, when I caught up with the times of my techie generation, I would get e mags through platforms like Zinio and eventually found a way to get them all free through my library.

It was pretty evident that I cared more about what the writers had to say than what the clothes, shoes, or accessories in the photoshoots did.

It always amazed me that the writer seemed to know exactly what they were talking about and seemed really passionate about their chosen subjects.

It inspired me to become a writer too.


Do you have a Chronic Illness and Want to Travel?

Just because you have a chronic illness, doesnโ€™t mean you canโ€™t travel!
In my blog, โ€œTraveling with Chronic Illnessesโ€, I share some tips that have helped me with my Lupus while traveling. I also give a peek inside the handy dandy sanitization kit that I bring with me on every trip for those with autoimmune conditions!


What Do You Get From Your Passion?

The best job in the whole world is the one that doesnโ€™t feel like work. What doesnโ€™t feel like a job to you and how does it fulfill you?

One thing I love about writing is that my words allow me to connect with people to who I wouldnโ€™t have had something to relate to otherwise.

If I can share a story or an idea that inspires someone, helps them feel good, or motivates them to reach their goals, then my purpose is fulfilled.

Iโ€™ll immediately know if I feel good about an article Iโ€™ve just written if I donโ€™t have to read it again. My heart is just pouring out with a feeling that I want to get through to someone on the other side of the screen.

I love that words are unlimited and you get to share them whenever, wherever, with whoever.

Are You Doing it For the Love of Money or the Love of the Job?

One important thing to ask yourself when you pursue a different path is whether youโ€™re doing it for passion or money. Itโ€™s okay to want both but not such a great thing when youโ€™re solely basing your decision on money unless you love the job.

I write because thereโ€™s nothing else Iโ€™d rather do. Iโ€™d do it even if I didnโ€™t get paid.

Thereโ€™s nothing more gratifying to me than when I receive a comment or message from someone that something I wrote was entertaining or helpful and allowed them to make a decision that benefited their lives.

Nothing in this world makes me happier. Not money, not cute clothes, perks from the job, nothing. I could do this for the rest of my life and be incredibly happy.

I spend a lot of my free time thinking about how to be a better writer, how to get across to more people, how to connect with them more deeply and genuinely.

Writing was always and still isโ€ฆ my dream job. Itโ€™s my most prized possession. If everything I owned was taken from me or burnt to the ground, Iโ€™d still have my words.

No one can take your passion away from you but you. So, follow your passion.

Get Curious, Ask Questions, Research

So you know what you want to do with your life. But, how do you approach the daunting task of planning out your new path?

When I first started reading magazine articles, I would often wonder how the writers got the job.. Itโ€™s not exactly like โ€œfreelancerโ€ was in my 11-year-old vocabulary. Just kinda assumed that the writers had a cozy office at the magazineโ€™s HQ. I was so cute back then.

Little did I knowโ€ฆ that โ€œcozy officeโ€ was in the writerโ€™s own home or on the road. Bonus for me! I love to travel! And hate sitting at a desk job.

But, as intimidating as it was to โ€œlittle meโ€, it was also really motivating. I realized going after a dream job like that was possible. After all, if the writers from my magazines could do it so then, could I.

Years later, I would learn a lot more about what goes into writing professionally by way of simple Google searches and reading โ€œhow-toโ€ books.

Eventually, I would get my first piece published in Sexual Health Magazine under my pen name. It was then and only then, that I could officially call myself a writer.

What are the steps to turning your passion into a side hustle?

Donโ€™t Wait to Turn Your Passion into a Side Hustle

If the pandemic has taught us anything, itโ€™s that life is precious. Go for what you want from life and donโ€™t think that itโ€™s too far-fetched. You can always go further than how far youโ€™ve already come.

Thereโ€™s no time like the present to pursue the thing youโ€™re most passionate about.

Whatโ€™s that one thing that you canโ€™t go a day without doing? For me, that has always been writing.

I think I always instinctively knew I wanted to be a writer but it was always overshadowed by something elseโ€ฆ running my own business or chasing my acting dream as a teen.

While doing those things professionally, I was still writing. It never occurred to me that I could be a writer, itโ€™s just something I did for fun.

I suppose thatโ€™s when you know what your dream job isโ€ฆ the thing you do every day while not getting paid or being forced to do it.

Is it Time to Get on That Side Hustle?

Iโ€™m not a life coach here and definitely not telling you to quit your job to go after your dream with no backup plan, how irresponsible would I be? All Iโ€™m saying isโ€ฆ you might want to start thinking about it.

So, ask yourself now what you should be doing with your life and get to it. Time is fleeting. And you only live once.

Do something that youโ€™re passionate about. Life is too short to just settle for a mediocre existence. Follow your passion!

Instead of wondering what life could be like if we did what we loved every day, why donโ€™t we spend that time thinking about what we want to do and how we could pursue it.

Now is the time to start thinking about what you want to do when you grow up because guess whatโ€ฆ. youโ€™re grown up!

illustration of geeves as a writer

What passion would you like to turn into a side hustle this year?

I love hearing from my readers! Feel free to comment below and let me know if you enjoyed my post. 

If you enjoyed this blog, Iโ€™d love it if you left a comment below. You can also follow me oInstagramTwitter, & Pinterest. Thank you for your continued love and support! I wouldnโ€™t be here if it werenโ€™t for you.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:

20 Helpful Tips for Traveling with a Chronic Illness

Forget New Yearโ€™s Resolutions, Love Yourself with These 14 Self Care Ideas Instead

Your Ultimate Guide to New Yearโ€™s in Hamburg Germany

Single on Valentineโ€™s Day: A Girlโ€™s 9 Step Guide to Solo Date at Home

20+ Dating Safety Tips for Women: Real Talk


Fact Check:

At Real Girl Review, we value truth and always strive for accuracy. Posts are updated regularly. If you read something that still doesnโ€™t sound right, contact me at gv@realgirlreview.com. I will investigate the facts and make changes as I deem necessary.

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