5 Things I’ve Learned After Jumping Into Social Media Content Creation
(And whether I’m quitting or keeping the camera rolling)
I started posting videos on a whim a few months ago. No plan, no niche, just “hey this might be fun.” Fast forward to today and I’ve learned more than I ever expected—about creativity, the internet, money, and even parenting. Here are the five biggest lessons so far.
1. It’s legitimately one of the best creative outlets I’ve ever had
Filming, editing, scripting silly skits, trying weird transitions—my brain is constantly buzzing with ideas. Some days I’ll spend three hours making a 15-second clip just because I’m having a blast. It feels like the adult version of recess. Pure joy.
2. People online can be brutally mean (but I’m learning to reframe the hate)
I’ve been called a lot of terrible names…you name it I’ve been called it. At first it stung. Then I noticed something: the meanest comments usually come on the videos that get the most views. Hate = engagement. Engagement = the algorithm likes you. So now when I see a nasty comment, I just think, “Cool, thank you for boosting my content” Still working on the thick skin part, but the mental jujitsu helps.
3. It eats time like a black hole
What starts as “I’ll just film one quick video” turns into scripting → filming 47 takes → editing → thumbnails → captions → posting → replying to comments → checking analytics every 11 seconds. And once brands or creator funds get involved? Free products sound amazing until they ask for 10 dedicated videos + stories + reels in two weeks. Suddenly your fun little hobby has deadlines and obligations. The joy can get… complicated.
4. Making actual money is comically hard
Current lifetime earnings: $2.64
Yes, you read that right. Two dollars and sixty-four cents.
Meanwhile my follower count, views, and engagement have absolutely exploded. The growth is real, the bank account is not. Monetization feels like trying to catch smoke—everyone says “it just takes time” and “keep posting consistently,” but damn, $2.64 after hundreds of hours is a tough pill.
5. The best part has nothing to do with numbers
My kid now sees exactly what goes into the videos we watch every day. The 53 takes because the dog barked. The ring light that makes everyone look like a shiny alien. The fact that half the “candid” moments online are rehearsed 400 times. It’s been an incredible real-time media-literacy crash course for both of us. We’ll be watching some influencer’s “perfect morning routine” and he’ll go, “Bet they filmed the smoothie part eight times.” Seeing behind the curtain has made us way smarter consumers.
So… should I quit?
Some days I’m exhausted and $2.64 feels like a personal attack.
Other days I’m editing at 1 a.m. laughing at my own stupid jokes.
Right now the joy, the creativity, and the lessons I’m giving my kid outweigh the exhaustion and the troll comments and the laughable paycheck. So no, I’m not quitting—yet. I’m treating this like a very expensive (and very public) hobby that might, one day, accidentally become a job.
If you’re thinking about starting: go in with zero financial expectations, rock-solid boundaries around your time, and a delete-key-friendly relationship with the comment section.
And if you’ve been at this for a while—tell me I’m not alone. Is the $2.64 club exclusive or do we have room for more members? 😅
Drop your own lessons below. Misery loves company, but growth loves it even more. 🚀