Creating for Joy, Not Justification
Breaking the cycle of assuming every passion should be a business
Ever had an idea—something fun, something just for you—only to immediately think, Wait… could I sell this? Should I make this a thing?
Yeah. Me too.
The other day, I caught myself doing it again. I had this thought: I’d love to learn more about tea—maybe even grow my own. And before I could even sit with that idea, my brain jumped straight to, I should start a small-batch tea business!
Like, hold on. Can I just like something without making it a full-fledged venture?
I know I’m not alone in this. It’s almost like we’ve been wired to think that every passion should be productive. That if something lights us up, we have to turn it into something bigger. But I’ve been wondering… what if we didn’t?
Why Do We Always Jump to “Making It Something”?
I think this instinct comes from a mix of things—how we were raised, how society works, how success is measured. From a young age, we’re praised for what we do instead of how we feel about it.
Remember being a kid, showing your drawing to an adult, and hearing, “It looks amazing!” instead of, “How did it feel to make that? Did you have fun?”
It’s subtle, but it sticks.
We learn that our passions are only as valuable as what they produce. So when we get older, we don’t just paint, or write, or grow tea—we ask, how can I monetize this?
And it’s even more subtle when we allow this narrative in our interactions. I’ve had countless conversations where I excitedly share something I’m working on, only for someone to immediately ask, “What are you going to do with it? You could make money off that!”
Listen—I get it. Not everyone is trying to reinforce the idea that everything must be profitable. Some genuinely want to encourage self-sufficiency. But if we keep responding the same way, with the same assumption that passion should equal productivity, we end up spreading more pressure, more misunderstanding.
The Leap of Faith: Creating for the Sake of It
Here’s the part where we get real.
It takes a lot of unlearning to sit with something we love and not immediately turn it into a project. To let it exist without forcing it into a mold. To trust that if it’s meant to grow, it will—when the time is right.
Because it’s natural to evolve. And as within, so without—as we change, our passions change. If something is truly meant to expand, it will. But please, don’t let that be your motivator.
You might notice that, deep down, you resist the vision at first. The real, soul-driven ideas are often the ones we hesitate to chase—not because they aren’t right for us, but because they are. They ask us to take a leap of faith.
Not into productivity. But into presence.
What If We Let Ourselves Just… Enjoy?
What if, instead of asking:
🔹 How can I make this bigger?
🔹 Should I turn this into a business?
🔹 How do I do this full-time?
We asked:
🔸 What do I love about this?
🔸 How does this make me feel?
🔸 What is this teaching me in this moment?
This isn’t just about us—it’s about changing the culture around creativity.
If we shift our own mindset, we can help others do the same. We can raise kids who create because they love it, not because they feel like they have to prove something. We can normalize hobbies that stay hobbies. We can build a world where doing something just because it makes us happy is enough.
Because YOU are enough.
So, if you’re like me—if you catch yourself turning every little spark of joy into a plan—maybe it’s time to take a breath.
Not everything has to be a business. Not everything needs to be useful.
Some things are valuable simply because they make us feel alive.
And if someone asks, “What are you going to do with that?”
Maybe the best answer is—
“Nothing. I just love it. I’m doing it for me.”