In a world that often equates value with income, it can feel uncomfortable to pour your heart into something that doesn’t turn a profit. But some of the most meaningful parts of our lives aren’t monetized – and they don’t have to be.

This short reflection is a reminder that passion doesn’t need a paycheck. Whether it’s a creative outlet, a quiet ritual, or something you simply love doing, it doesn’t have to make money to be worthwhile.

You’re allowed to love what you love – for joy, for meaning, for you.

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Hey, this is It's Okay If, bite-sized permission slips. I'm Matt Gilhooly, and today's permission? It's okay if you love something that doesn't make you a dime. We live in a world that loves to measure everything, likes, followers, downloads, dollars. And sometimes we start to believe that if something doesn't make us money, then it's not worth our time. But here's the thing, I love podcasting deeply. And while it's brought some incredible opportunities,

00:34

And yes, a tiny little side income. It's not the thing that pays all my bills, but it's the thing that fills me up, that keeps me connected to what matters, that lets me tell stories, help others tell their stories, even if it doesn't always come with a paycheck attached. And for a while, I used to wrestle with that. Should I be doing something more profitable? Is this a waste of my time? But you know what?

01:02

Not everything we love has to be turned into a side hustle. Not everything has to scale. Not everything has to monetize. Some things are just for us. For joy, creativity, for the sake of doing them. So today, if you love something that doesn't make you money, that's still enough. You're still enough. So if you're up for it, tell yourself, I give myself permission to love what I love, even if it never makes me a dime.

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That's your permission slip, friend. Tuck it in your pocket and I'll see you next time.