So… I guess I am going to talk about “creating content” now. There are many things I want to say, but I’m not sure what they all are. I’ve wanted to write this post for a long time, but I have not yet found the way. So this is probably going to be rambling and fractured, but here we go.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what “creating content” means to me. The fact that I am putting the phrase “creating content” in quotes may show the mixed feelings I have about this.

The internet is loud, and I’ve almost completely lost interest in making noise just to make noise. Especially if you run a business online, as I do, there is pressure to “build an audience by frequently sharing high quality and relatable content” (said in a robot voice).

So much online “content” is just noise that people make because they feel like they HAVE to put something up. I saw an Instagram caption the other day where someone simply wrote “posting to post.” It was refreshingly honest!

Here is the core of my own conflict: I want to create stuff online and share it with people. When the circumstances are right, I enjoy creating content (like the panda deck unboxing, that was fun!). I’ve been creating stuff online in various formats for over five years, and I don’t want to stop. But I also don’t want to post just to post.

So part of me thinks the answer is: wait to post until I have something to say. Solves the problem, right?

Well, it probably would for some, but unfortunately it’s not that simple for me. Because if I let myself just wait for inspiration to come along…

I procrastinate. And resist. And overthink. And numb out my creativity via one of my vices. I hang out with the Devil. And the Devil can be a fun guy to party with, but he can also really get in the way of me doing anything meaningful.

Picasso said inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. This is true for me. So there’s the loop I’m stuck in. I need some type of structure around my creativity, or inspiration doesn’t show up. But if I have too much structure, I might create banal “content” that does nothing but make the internet more polluted.

*deep beleaguered sigh*

There’s another squishy thing when it comes to creating content online: I don’t make money from it. My income is from giving tarot readings and mentoring sessions. Sure, sometimes people may enjoy the content I put out and decide to book a session with me. But part of my resistance to creating content is that it takes a chunk out of my limited energy resources, and there’s not always a sense of reciprocity.

I love working with clients. It takes a lot of energy, and using my energy in that way is a priority. Creating content has to be of lower priority as it does not have a direct energy exchange.

Many of my colleagues have been moving to Patreon for this exact reason. Perhaps I’ll do something like that in the future, but I should probably get back into a regular groove of creating content before I’m like “hey perhaps you could pay me a dollar a month for my blog posts!”

Okay, this is all getting a bit whiny and naval gazing, is it not? Let me attempt to get to the bottom line. If there is a bottom line. Which is a pretty big “if” at this point!

Bottom line: I’m overdue for a revamp of how I show up and share online. I still do not know what that revamp will look like, but I’ve at least identified a few of the current issues. And I do have some ideas about how I want to move forward!

Pretty much everything I’ve done in my business so far has been a process of experimenting, seeing how things go, and reassessing as necessary. These rambles are continuing that process of evolution. This has been pretty awkward to write, but sometimes when you don’t know how to say something you just have to TRY SAYING IT and accept the awkwardness that comes with the territory.

Thank you for being here. It really does mean a lot.

Book a private reading with me here.