Do the hustle
On doing more and more for less and less
I decided at the beginning of January to take a break from the hustle, which for me meant constant promotion of my books, workshop, and other projects. I enjoyed it so much that I let it slide into February. Here's a little report of the results:
-I've lost followers on both Twitter and Instagram
-My book sales have dropped off dramatically.
On the other hand, I've
-Read fourteen books in six weeks
-Had lots of great conversations with friends
-Written poetry
-Taken up the ukulele
-Finally gotten back into the routine of getting off screens an hour or two before bed
It's a little hard and sad to lose IG and Twitter followers, especially since I've spent the last several years diligently building community there. And it's a little discouraging to see book sales drop off, especially since I could use the money. But with the changes over at Twitter, as well as the ever-mysterious algorithm, the game has become more and more hustle for less and less rewards. And it's hard to deny that my life has been better in many ways without it. I think my mental health is benefitting, too. So I'm taking some time to reflect, before I jump back on the hamster wheel, whether I actually want to be back on that wheel, or whether it's time for a new approach to being a writer and a human being in general.
Are other folks having similar experiences?
