After wrapping up my summer job in July, I decided to lock in and focus on getting some social media planning and other systems in place to help automate my life. Now, when I say “automation,” I don’t mean that I’m no longer dealing with challenges or responsibilities. Instead, I’ve created a system that reduces the need to constantly hit the panic button whenever life throws a curveball. Despite living a fairly calm life—by choice, as I steer clear of drama—I found myself often overthinking to the point of nausea about what needed to be done next. I questioned whether I’d have enough time for everything, whether I’d be able to achieve my goals, and whether I’d have the right support in place. That constant mental churn became overwhelming, and I realized that I didn’t want to live that way anymore.

Many people I know seem to be just one or two paychecks away from having their lives completely uprooted—whether due to bills, stress, job insecurity, health concerns, or other factors. Seeing this, I thought to myself, “What if I could set my life up so that I’m ahead of the game as much as humanly possible?” What if I could give myself 3-6 months of reduced stress in a particular area of my life? Take my teaching career, for example: I know that lesson plans are due every week, and that a lot of the material I used in previous years is still relevant. So, what if I just planned ahead and mapped out as many weeks and months of lessons as possible? Wouldn’t that free up my weekends and weekdays, allowing me to focus on other things? Having that buffer of pre-planned lessons reduces the stress that comes with other work-related issues, so why not apply that same approach to my music, family, finances, and bills?

For the past three weeks, I’ve been working on exactly that. Using Metricool, a system designed to help content creators streamline their social media planning, I’ve managed to set up daily posts for the entire month of September. I’m well into October, with only a few gaps left to fill, and I’ve even started planning content into November and beyond. It’s been a lot of work, but this front-loaded effort has bought me 2-3 months of relative freedom. I’m no longer constantly worrying about what to post or scrambling to create content. Instead, I’m able to coast—floating through life with a lot less stress. The trade-off is undeniable: by dedicating two weeks to intense planning and content creation, I’ve gained months of peace of mind.

But here’s the thing: while automation has its perks, it doesn’t eliminate worry entirely. There’s really no way to be free from all the concerns that come with creating, interacting, and engaging in the digital world. The system is designed so that, once you get it rolling, you have to keep feeding the algorithm. The difference is that now, I don’t feel the daily pressure to post something new. If my summers continue as they have, I plan to dedicate the first or last two weeks of August to generating 3-4 months of content. This gives me time to breathe, focus on other projects, and maintain my sanity during the school year.

Of course, there are always going to be people who inject doubt into your plans. A few folks have questioned what I’d do if the platform I’m using were to go down or if some other catastrophic event were to occur. But here’s the reality: that’s life. We face the same risks with our banks, our jobs, and our health every single day. Worrying about what might go wrong isn’t going to get me anywhere. Just as I don’t wake up every day thinking, “Today might be the day I die,” I’m not going to let those fears dictate how I live. I believe in Metricool, in my business, and in the power of preparation. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over these past few weeks, it’s that faith in the process doesn’t eliminate the need for hard work. Whether you front-load your efforts or spread them out, the road to success is paved with sacrifice, intention, and a whole lot of creativity.

So, this is the year I’m committing to content creation, networking, building, expressing, and, most importantly, reducing stress. I don’t need to be doing big things all the time—one event a month is enough to keep me connected and give something back to the community. Whether I’m hosting or attending, I’ll be out there bringing my V2G energy to every venue, spot, and business I encounter. These past three weeks have given me clarity and direction, and I hope this post offers some inspiration to those of you who might be struggling to find your own path. Sometimes, the key to unlocking your potential lies in preparation and the willingness to put in the work—front or back, it doesn’t matter as long as you keep moving forward. Peace.