The longer I create content, the more I realize that social media is at its best when it adds to your life, not when it becomes your life. These apps are designed to keep you hooked, consuming, and chasing vanity metrics.

These are the little rules I’ve developed over the years to keep content creation fun, sustainable, and enjoyable.

1. Have a Bigger Purpose Than Validation

Likes are nice, but they’re not why I’m here.

For me, creating content is about sharing things that might help someone, building community, growing my podcast, and supporting my small business.

When your purpose is bigger than validation, the highs don’t get too high and the lows don’t get too low.

My posts take trips to the flop factory all the time… I don’t really care.

2. Stop Treating Your Follower Count Like a Report Card

It’s easy to get caught up in numbers, but your follower count isn’t a reflection of your value, your talent, or whether you’re doing a good job.

The people who are here are enough. Focus on the people who stayed, not the people who didn’t.

3. Chill With the Hauls

Respectfully, none of us need the latest items in the shopping cart and the overconsumption ick can really creep in.

Some of my favorite content comes from things I already own, genuinely use, and actually enjoy. You don’t have to constantly consume to be creative. Sometimes creativity comes from looking at what you already have with fresh eyes.

4. Only Work With Brands That Add a Little Whimsy to Your Life

…Or make life easier, more joyful, or more magical.

I’ve found that the best partnerships happen when I’d happily talk about something even if nobody paid me to.

If it feels forced, your audience can tell. If it feels natural, they can tell that too.

5. Post Afterwards

You’ll rarely catch me sharing things in real time.

When I’m at the beach, I want to enjoy the beach. When I’m traveling, I want to experience the trip. When I’m spending time with friends and family, I want to be present.

The content can wait. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you no one is on the edge of their seat wondering what you are doing.

6. Keep Things Personal

You can be authentic without being an open book.

I’ve always said that not everyone in my life signed up to be on my reality TV show. Social media can create the illusion that we owe everyone access to everything, but we don’t.

Some moments are meant to stay personal.

7. Share What Feels Natural

The internet is much more fun when you’re sharing things you genuinely enjoy instead of trying to become someone else.

The content that performs best isn’t always the content that feels best. I choose the latter.

8. Remember It’s Not That Serious

Sometimes a post does great, and sometimes it gets shown to five people and a houseplant.

Life goes on. One post is not your career, one bad week is not your future, and one algorithm change is not the end of the world.

Take a deep breath and keep creating.

9. Let People Unfollow

Not everyone is going to like your content, or understand your humor, or connect with your perspective.

That’s okay. The people who enjoy what you create are your people. Focus on them.

10. Create More Than You Consume

The best ideas rarely come from staring at a screen all day…They come from living.

Create more than you consume. You’ll be happier, and your content will probably be better too.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, social media should add to your life, not become your life.

Create the post, take the beach walk, wear the cute outfit, pet the cat.

Repeat.

If you’re lucky, you’ll discover that the secret to being a happy creator has very little to do with social media at all.