An intention of mine for this year is to find a career aligned with my creative passions. Making the decision to go a different route than I had planned has resulted in a lot of unknown in my life.
Growing up I always valued academic success, but only because that’s what got me praise and validation. I was always a smart kid who loved to learn, but as I got older I realized I didn’t care to be a high performing scholar. I didn’t care to have the most impressive resume or internships. I just want to be passionate about my career and help others.
What makes you feel alive?
Living in Spain I had a lot of time to myself. I had time to reevaluate what I wanted out of life. How I wanted to live my life. I asked myself, “What makes me feel alive?” My answers: dancing, music, art, helping others.
I’ve always been a creative but I became a suppressed one because pursuing a creative career was never seen as a sensible option. I wasn’t put in classes to improve my skills. I never felt good enough. I’ve been told that it’s not a real job. Even now as I express my change of plans to others, I can tell they don’t take it seriously.
Have undeniable belief in yourself
That made me realize: nobody else is going to push me and believe in me to achieve an unconventional lifestyle as a creative. I need to be the one cheering myself on and pushing myself. I need to believe in myself more than anyone else.
I get it, it’s risky and not as secure as pursuing a 9-5. But I know what I want. I know that if I decided to go the traditional route I would be settling. And I do not want to live my life wondering “what if?”
The time to take risks and try shit out is now. If my plans flop then they flop. I can always try something else out. It’s scary but I know I deserve a chance at pursuing a passion that genuinely makes me happy.
I’ve started the infamous workbook The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and it’s reassured and validated the creative inside me. It’s a gift to be able to create and to have creativity. I want to explore the gifts God gave me.
Take your dreams seriously.
It’s been difficult even admitting to myself that I want to pursue a creative lifestyle. Making this decision changes the trajectory of my life. I’ve lived my whole life thinking that my life would go: bachelors, masters, then career. To realize that that’s no longer the case is scary and hard to grasp. I still have self doubt and I’m trying my best not to let it win.
There’s just so many voices from the past, from myself, from “logic” that are telling me it’s foolish to think I have a chance. But I’m ignoring them as much as I can. They are not facts. I am enough. I am capable. Talent is not always born, but made. Audacity is needed more than talent. The audacity to believe in yourself so much that you keep trying. That you let others reject you before you reject yourself.
I don’t even want to state the exact career I want to pursue because I want to keep this to myself. Until I take more action and it gets more real, I’ll feel comfortable sharing it with others. I don’t want to say it, I just want to do it.
Don’t let fear ruin your dreams.
If you’re thinking of pursuing a creative life path, do it. Do it now before you become sucked into a career that you’re too afraid to let go of. Don’t let fear be the reason why you don’t pursue your dreams. Take small actions that are connected to your dreams. Some action is better than no action. Believe in yourself. I believe in you.