We're having a really lovely summery few days here in London and it's inspired me to break out some matching colours and yellow, gold & Tanzanite are all on my beading mat.

A few days ago a I came across an article which I think anyone who has a hobby should read.

It is an amazing article and it, and the comments on it, really encapsulate a lot of thoughts I have on turning a thing you love into work.

I really recommend reading it if you're feeling any pressure to turn your hobby into a way to earn money or a full-time job.

Well-meaning friends & family often think that encouraging you to earn money from your hobby is the highest compliment (how many of us have heard 'you should have an Etsy shop' or 'you could sell that'?) and in many ways it is (and I'm sure I'm guilty of that too) but I think one of the sentences the article contains: “You don't have to monetize your joy.” should really be taken to heart.

It's perfectly fine to simply do something because you enjoy it!

We need to stop pressuring ourselves to always justify how we spend our time and make sure it's productive in output or financially. There's so much expectation to always be working, always be productive & producing and always be explaining ourselves, that it's hard to resist and go against the instinct to fit in with that.

I adore my job but it is completely different than when I beaded for myself.

The best way to explain it is that every bead I pick up now brings expectations, obligations & work with it. I need to consider how it will fit in a diagram, how I will explain it in a class, how it can be substituted, resized, omitted or justified both in the project and my tax returns. And don't forget all the closely approaching deadlines...!
Designs have to be adapted to suit different tastes, to ensure they can be resized, and easily explained, and I need to brace for the criticisms, input and theft (of both designs and physical items). All of that deeply affects the creative aspect and has turned beading into a different thing for me.

Do you really want all of that piled onto something you do for fun?

I'm very, very fortunate in that I absolutely love what I do, and that all those challenges add to the job for me (and keep me on my toes) but they are not for everyone and I encounter so many people who feel obligated to take them on and justify how they spend their time.

A really important thing to remember is that having fun, relaxing, playing with colour & materials are all good enough reasons to do something.

So embrace that and enjoy your hobby, whatever it is. You deserve fun and relaxation however you do it

Much love to you all and best wishes for whatever choices you make but remember that fun and 'just because' are good enough reasons to do something you love.