About a year and a half ago I had an idea that I would create a journal. I had been using a few different systems to track and document my thoughts, feelings, to-do lists and goals, but not one that was super great or covered everything I was looking for.

At the time, I was a nonprofit director of a well-regarded organization and my team and I were doing some pretty cool things. I was excited by our work and the organizational shift I was leading. And in other ways, I was overwhelmed, exhausted and uninspired.

Since I left my stable, secure nonprofit job over 3 months ago, I have landed in the deep end of research and information consumption! In addition to trying to figure out how to start a business without a business background, I have been working my butt off in the space of side hustling. I’m doing everything from researching every possible way to earn passive income to contacting my old freelance clients.

What’s been interesting is learning about all the new ways there are to earn income. When I hustled back in 2012, 13 and 14, I was doing hands-on work for different people. Events management, airport greeting for VIP clients of my client, catering, floral design and stuff along those outward-facing lines of work.