Ageless Creativity
Reasons You’re Never Too Old to Create Online Content
Hello, welcome to 4 Buckets a community for musings on life, food, books, and pop culture. Pop down below and leave a comment, I promise I don’t bite.
Last fall, I lost out on a job opportunity, and I was starting to think “What am I going to do now?” Lying in bed at night, I pondered if I was destined to be a freelancer long-term instead of a full-time employee. What’s my next chapter? I still don’t know what my next chapter is, but last year I felt a strong urge to do something creative. I used to have a book blog, why not pick up where I left off? Only I decided to concentrate on more than just books for my Substack.
It’s been an up-and-down journey trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t, how much is too much to share, and the right strategy for using Notes. Yet, it's been fun at times too—writing about food and books is my favorite. Not everything I write will be a gem, but I know my voice matters—even when I think posting online content is a young person’s game. In many ways, it is, but that doesn't mean there’s no space for those of us not born in the 2000s. Here are a few reasons why:
Experience: Every chapter of your life and career comes with a certain level of wisdom. Sharing those invaluable insights will resonate with your audience.
Broaden your horizons/learn new things: There’s added value in creating online content. If I don’t know how to do something, there’s surely a video for it. Since starting my Substack, I decided it was time to put myself back in the classroom—the virtual classroom. In part to help with my creative endeavors and for my professional career. Skillshare classes and Canva helped me start my notebook business. More Skillshare classes gave me motivation to start a YouTube channel (more to come).
Income opportunities: Reaching a level of success where I can create online content and not have to worry daily about the bottom line, is the dream. It will take time to get there, but consistency (not quantity) is the key to making that dream a reality.
Creativity needs to be expressed: I think many of us who write or create other online content do it because we have to. We need to express ourselves in some way because if we don’t, we’ll constantly wonder if we missed out.
Making new friends/building community: By creating online content, you can find a lot of people who share your interests. If you show up for them, they will show up for you.
Improve skills: My Substack was born out of a need for a creative outlet, but there are other benefits. I’m writing regularly for the first time in years, it’s a muscle that will improve as long as I’m consistent. I’m also editing my first YouTube video, which has been a little frustrating as I’m learning to use video editing software on the fly. Something I didn’t do my first time around with YouTube (more than ten years ago). It’s not going to be a cinematic masterpiece but I’m doing my best to make the video visually appealing.
What are some of the reasons you create content online?
Upcoming posts
Thursday: No Lost recap this week. I normally watch episodes on Sundays, but with Father’s Day ahead I didn’t have time for this.
Monday: Journey into the Apocalypse: Book Review of The Wanderers
Need a notebook?
If you’re in the market for a notebook, please check out my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jaelfogle