While I was working at a coffee shop the other day, I overheard a girl tell her coworker, “There is nothing else for me, this is IT–there is literally nothing else out there for me.” Man, I wouldn’t really consider myself an emotional person, but my heart instantly broke for her. 

If you’re reading this and can relate to her, I want you to know that you never have to feel this way–there is always another option or outlet you can pursue, and it’s called a side hustle.

During this day in time opportunities are flowing in practically every direction and it’s easier than ever before to create a career path for yourself. I’m not saying you have to sell your soul to an MLM ( please don’t ), but there are plenty of ways to create a side hustle for yourself. 

Whether your side hustle is an outlet that brings you joy outside of your 9-5 or simply a bit of extra income, it can be a great time to discover skills you didn’t even know you had outside of your day to day job. 

When I was in college my side hustle started as writing for various online publications such as The Odyssey and Elite Daily. I was 19 years old and just tapping into my love for writing. I honestly just fell in love with being able to connect with strangers over the internet through my words–it gave me such a sense of fulfillment ( I was a psychology major at the time and especially loved writing about relationships ). I would pretty much write for anyone who would publish my work, which meant I wrote about everything–TBT to when I wrote for a mommy blog with absolutely 0 mommy experience, LOL. 

Other side hustles throughout the last six years have included starting my blog, freelance writing assignments, working at Lululemon, and teaching group fitness classes. I truly believe everything happens for a reason and who knows, maybe your side hustle could open a door to new opportunities you never even knew existed. 

I can 100% say I would not have ended up falling into the career path I’m on now if it wasn’t for my collection of side hustles. ( Before I started writing I was on the road to pursue counseling those battling substance abuse and addiction, which I know in my heart is not the path that I was meant to be on ).

That’s quite enough about me and my side hustle endeavors. This post is about how you can live a life where instead of feeling stuck, you can feel fulfilled at your job–which is what I wish for the girl I overheard at that coffee shop the other day ( who I think we all can relate to ). Here’s a few ways you can start thinking about creating your own side hustle:

Identify Your Skills

Take a look at your skill set and think about whether or not any of these skills could make you extra cash. For example, if you enjoy working out and connecting with others, maybe you could take a look at teaching a local fitness class. Really think about hobbies that you enjoy when you aren’t at your full-time job and think about whether or not they produce skills you could monetize. 

Just putting it out there, I never saw myself as a group fitness instructor. I hated speaking publicly and used to get insanely nervous. So, don’t think your side hustle has to be something you are already good at! ( In high school I never saw myself as a writer either, yet here we are. Just roll with the punches ).

Don’t Obsess About Making it Perfect

I often get into conversation with others who want to launch their website, business, or Instagram account, but think they have to check off this long list of tasks beforehand. I think instead of wasting time dreaming and obsessing, you should just go ahead and launch. Your business or side hustle will always change, evolve, and grow as time goes on, what do you have to lose by pursuing it now?

Tell Your Friends and Family

If you aren’t discussing your wildest dreams and manifestations with your inner circle, then you aren’t surrounding yourself with the right kind of folks. Saying my scariest goals out loud is what really solidifies my plan of action. It brings the idea to life and gives it real purpose. Saying it outloud means it’s not just a silly little dream in the back of your mind anymore. Your big, scary goal now seems attainable, which is where your manifesting really begins. 

So, if you’re one of those folks who has been thinking about starting some type of side hustle forever, tell a friend or a family member about and start manifesting that shit.

Go With the Flow

Enjoy the ride and go wherever your side hustle decides to take you. In other words, don’t force it. Maybe it introduces you to a new group of friends, career path, or set of skills that you never even knew you possessed. 

At the end of the day, this side hustle should be something you thoroughly enjoy doing, even if it’s just a dog walking gig after work. It doesn’t have to make you a lot of money, it could just be something you genuinely enjoy. I know that my blog offers a creative outlet that I am not always allowed in my day to day life, which brings me a lot of happiness. 

Let me know what your side hustle is or what you’re thinking about starting–I’m curious to know! If you are just getting started, take a look at how I like manifesting my goals.