What are some of the benefits and challenges of pursuing a side hustle based on your creative passion?

In my experience, creative side hustles allow you to cope with stress in tapping into your artistic side. As an undergraduate student in health sciences, I’m constantly looking at science related concepts. Sometimes it’s enjoyable to escape the science world and enter a world of imagination and creativity. It fosters a space for you to do things you enjoy, explore passions, and think beyond numbers and facts, and into the imagination where possibilities are truly endless. Tapping into art and creative side hustles truly do act as a form of therapy, enabling one to explore different sides to oneself and one’s talents.

Side hustles are necessary when needed. For the musician the name for side hustles are gigs. Side hustles have assisted in various ways while I continue to make efforts to create income from what I currently have now. I have live a life in and around working.

One challenge is balancing the time and effort required for your creative side hustle with that required for your actual education and/or school work. Both are important and have valuable positions in your life; therefore it’s important to find and make the time to do both the things you need to do and the things you want to do or enjoy doing.

One thing I find helpful is to realize that we can be 100% committed even if it is 10 minutes a day or 1 hour a week. Often, we don't have all the time we want, but being committed even for seemingly tiniest amounts of time can make all the difference in moving forward. And the "no time" situation might not stick forever, times might come when you will have more time than now! So keep going, even if it is the tiniest step a day!

One of the challenges most of us face is comparisons. This can really discourage you if you are creating a side hustle, yet you compare yourself with people who are on a completely different point in their entirely different journey. I know - easy to say, hard to do, but being mindful of this is super helpful!

I find that the most useful method of coping with any challenges in my creative side hustles is by conversing with those who also have creative side hustles. They (in being in the same space) understand the struggle, whether it be burnout or lack of familial or friend support. Sometimes, all you need is to feel heard and like you’re not alone; having that support system and network of people who are also exploring their creative talents helps with both aspects, empowering you to keep going, keep trying and keep growing.