In the digital jungle, where the wild buzzwords roam free and shiny objects of promise lurk at every turn, content creators and solopreneurs often find themselves at crossroads. Down one path lies the Emerald City of Content Creation; down the other, a tempting trail of quick-fixes that, like a mirage, vanish upon approach.

It’s the motley musicians playing beneath weary stoops, and on random seats along the banks of the Mississippi; it’s the umpteen beignets and Po’ Boys; it’s the whirling, blurring throng of Mardi Gras; it’s the chaos and the hardship sitting alongside quiet introspection; and it’s the people…

It would be great to skip past Grief and wind up at Acceptance in the time it takes to order a McChicken, but unfortunately it doesn’t work like that.

Nothing changes if nothing changes. 

If you can sense it in your gut – the very fibre of your being – that you were put on this planet for a reason, figure out what that reason is and devote your whole world to it.

Chances are, you have absolute clarity about what you DON’T like – anti-fungal nail cream ads, the smell of burning plastic, that one aggressive pebble hiding out in your shoe – but you haven’t given the same time and energy to determining what you DO like.

Figuring out what you want out of life can be a lifelong process. And while everyone knows it’s important to do the things that make us happy, it can be overwhelming to determine where to start.

I made a pact with myself in the still, pre-dawn hours – a commitment to my future self: No matter what happens, I’m doing whatever I want with what’s left of my life.

So, after all these years of running, seeking, and hunting for joy, I thought I’d share the 5 things that might be useful for you if you’re searching for a heady shot of delight in the everyday.

‘Stay in your lane’ disempowers the multi-passionates – the creatives and the dreamers – who thrive when they can pursue a range of opportunities. 

I didn’t want to settle for languishing, or wasting my days throwing all the magic-wish coins in the one unkempt well, only to sit back and wait for the universe to throw me a lifeline. I wanted to break out of apathy jail. So I did.

So this morning, as I meandered to the beach to watch the water, drink my coffee and consider what’s next, I kept thinking about Al Pacino.