A Corporate Baddie’s Blueprint to Bringing Back Fun

Hey girlfriend!

Last weekend I was in Florida for my twin best friends/college roommates birthday. In true girlhood fashion, one of the events on the itinerary was dinner and drinks. While everyone finished getting ready, their brother and I went outside to chill.

As I swung on the bench outside the Airbnb, he began telling me about things he wanted to pursue: music, clothing, the typical things that most young men are interested in. He told me he wasn't sure how to start… or how to make money from it.

My immediate instinct was to tell him to just go for it. But as we continued to talk, I realized his underlying anxiety stemmed from something much deeper than just needing a personal pep talk. It was rooted in an overarching subtly insidious societal agenda: capitalism.

Somewhere along the way (you could say from its “founding”) our country developed an unhealthy attachment to the dollar. An idolization of it, really. Everything we do revolves around it. More and more with each generation we shift towards monetization; where people stray from doing things just for fun and stretch towards wanting to add another stream of income.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking the hustle at all. I work a corporate job, I serve in the Army National Guard, and I research investment opportunities. I am a big believer in getting to the coin, but I must admit, there are cons to this constant chase.

Once upon a time, people did things for no other reason than besides they wanted to. Because it brought them joy. Because it helped them past time. Because it was fun. Not because it was something that they could sell. Not because it could make them famous. Hell, sometimes it wasn’t even because they were good at it.

Grandmas crocheted clothes for loved ones. Women baked for the neighbors. Children collected scars and stories. And now? All of that has been flipped on its head. Kids grind to blow up on TikTok, handmade things become Etsy stores. Everything has become a means to an end. Hobbies are going extinct.

As I talked to my best friend’s brother, I found myself on a soap box preaching about fun over funds.

When was the last time you did something just for the fun of it?

No pressure.

No strings attached.

No analytics.

No audience.

Just pure fun.

The problem today is that everything you partake in is expected to achieve the goal of getting money or gaining followers. If it doesn’t fit into one of these archetypes, it’s deemed as a waste of time. The constant pressure to be “successful” by our society’s skewed standards adds a suffocating layer of stress that can lead to burnout. Or worse, analysis paralysis. You get an insight or idea to try something, but become so obsessed with wanting to present it perfectly that you give it up completely. You become too afraid to try, to experiment, to play. Something you once loved and looked forward to is no longer thrilling and fun; it’s lost all its wonder and whimsy. And for what? 

Again, don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with setting measurable goals. There’s no shame in wanting to share your talent with the world. But if you’re pursuing something for any reason other than the fact that it brings you peace, you might be setting yourself up for frustration. There is a certain passion that is needed to stick with something long enough to see significant results in the first place. They say it takes 10 years to be an overnight success… and that is the general guide for those who eat, sleep, and breathe their craft. Sure some viral moments slip through the cracks every now and then. But what happens if that moment never comes? What happens if you don’t “blow up”? What happens if it never brings you in a dime? Is there no longer any reason to pursue the calling of your heart? Will you continue to follow your passion just for passion’s sake?

So, as 2025 dwindles down and we began dreaming, planning, and creating our New Years vision board, I want you to consider a radical resolution: enjoyment.

Experimentation. Lolly f*cking gagging.

I was blessed to have visited Italy a few years ago. But unfortunately, I didn’t get the opportunity to take a pasta making class. So you know what I did one random Tuesday? I cracked an egg into a well of flour. I mixed, rolled and attempted to knead dough for what felt like hours. I nearly broke my back being hunched over the kitchen counter for so long trying to cut and shape the noodles. Want to know how they came out? Baby… They were the thickest, ugliest, most disrespectful looking noodles ever. They brought shame and dishonor to all Italians and their delicious cuisines. But y’know what? They were mine. They made for me and by me Goddamnit! And they weren’t made for a dollar, or a reel, or a “coming soon” cookbook. Not for any other reason besides the fact that I wanted to.

And that’s what I’m encouraging you to do. To attempt at any, and at all things. Whether for the day or for the decade. Regardless if it brings you recognition or causes people to think you’re out of your ever loving mind.. do it. Do it like it Nike said: Just God damn do it. And when you do it, come back and tell me how it went.

Until the next time girlfriend.

xx