How a side hustle can help your mental health

Hey there, dynamo!

How’s your mental health these days? If you answered not so great, starting a side hustle can help.

What? You don’t consider yourself a dynamo? I beg to differ and let me prove it to you.

Do you like Mondays?

Does your day job give you a sense of fulfillment?

Do you find yourself thinking about your to-do list or next steps when you’re not at work?

If you answered no, no, and no, well then. You’re a dynamo. 

The only problem is that you feel stuck in a job that doesn’t excite you.

If you’re wondering how to get unstuck, I have a great resource at the end of this post. Meanwhile, read on!

So, here’s the challenge that many of us wrangle in the dirt with – Every. Single. Day.

We KNOW we’re not happy at our day job and yet we like to eat. Also, even though we can’t tangibly see Wi-Fi, it comes with a real bill. So, yes. You need that day job. But the problem isn’t the job. The problem is in… get ready for it… your attitude toward the job.

*YIKES!*

Did I just say that out loud?

Yup.

The reason why I’m bringing this up is because I had a conversation with someone recently who, in his words, feels that his job is “killing his soul.”

He feels that his job is affecting his mental health.

Here’s what I told him:

Diversify. Figure out what lights you up from the inside and do THAT as a side hustle.

I have this other friend who works in the kitchen at a seniors’ residence. We’ll call this friend John.(Which may or may not be his name. There are eleventy thousand Johns in the world. Maybe you’re a John. Maybe I’m talking about you.) 

John is actually retired. (What? You’re not retired? Okay, so maybe I’m not talking about you.) Why is John retired AND working at a seniors’ residence? Because helping others makes him feel like he’s doing good in the world. This lights him up from the inside.

I say this all the time: The saddest thing in the world is forgotten potential.

Just because you have a day job that may be killing your soul, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get a side hustle. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or “world changing.” It can be as easy as giving a helping hand for a cause, like my friend John does.

Here’s what happens when you start doing something you love:

You’re so focused on feeling good, that you forget to complain about your job. You don’t feel stuck anymore because you have something to look forward to. Now the soul-sucking day job just becomes a means for eating food and paying for Wi-Fi.

Oh! And that resource I promised you! 

Alain Guillot is a story merchant, and he loves to write about life, leadership, and money matters. In this blog post he shares 3 tips on how to start a side hustle.

And if you’d like to make writing your side hustle, this is something I know a lot about! Check out this interview I did with Alain a few years ago where I share a few tips on breaking into the writing scene – whether as a writer or copywriter.

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Mona Andrei is an award-winning humor blogger, columnist, and author. In her most recent book, SUPERWOMAN: A Funny and Reflective Look at Single Motherhood, she shares her challenges and triumphs as a single mother as well as stories from other single mothers. 

Mona is also the host of the Single Moms with Moxie podcast.

When Mona isn’t writing or interviewing single mothers, you can probably find her dancing. As a member of a competitive hip hop team, she likes to think that she’ll stay young and cool forever. She may be delusional.