Article written by the 21 year old me, worried of citing the source. Cringe version on WWW. DEVILONHEELS.BLOGSPOT.COM
I have countless childhood memories, but one memory that remains etched in my mind is that of summer and my obsession with tearing paper. Scissors and paper were my constant companions, and I could spend hours engrossed in this simple activity. My aunt would often jokingly claim that it was karma and speculated that I must have been a tailor or worked in a salon in my previous birth.
As I grew older, I discovered painting and drawing, but it dawned on me that I lacked the talent for drawing. My attempts at drawing often resulted in abstract art with no discernible meaning. However, I found solace in crafting, thanks to my childhood fascination. I tapped into my "creative" mind and excelled at making things aesthetically pleasing. Consequently, I started being recognized as a "creative" person, limiting my definition of creativity to crafts, dance, music, and any artistic endeavors that individuals could effortlessly pursue without assistance.
Upon completing school, I faced the daunting task of choosing my path for further education. Fear gripped me, and I sought something that was safe, guaranteed a job, and seemed devoid of the need for creativity. Like countless others before me, I chose engineering. I believed it to be a secure choice that could provide a stable job. Additionally, I was apprehensive about pursuing anything else that required creativity, an attribute I believed I lacked.
However, as I completed my graduate course and had the much-needed break to contemplate my life's direction, I realized that engineering was not my passion. While it taught me a rational and structured approach, I could never be a successful engineer because I simply wasn't interested. Those memories of my dad emphasizing the importance of enjoying one's job and finding job satisfaction resurfaced, and I was confronted with reality.
I came to the realization that I could never be truly happy unless I pursued something I loved. Another lesson also revealed itself: I could never achieve anything significant without taking risks. However, another obstacle loomed before me—creativity. Was I creative enough to transition into another field, such as management? Could I effectively negotiate prices, market products, and manage people? As I voiced my concerns, which I had never shared with anyone, not even my dad, I realized how wrong I had been. It taught me yet another lesson: sometimes we must express our opinions because our preconceived notions are often far from reality. Additionally, it's okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them (although I admit I'm still adjusting to this concept!).
A lightning bolt of realization struck me—every one of us is creative. Humans possess creativity in any field or job, from a beggar who adapts tactics to maximize income to students who invent new reasons to avoid studying. Animals also display creativity as they adapt to changing climates and find innovative ways to protect themselves. Creativity is inherent in our lives; it is an integral part of who we are. All we need to do is believe in ourselves, unleash our thoughts and dreams, and the rest will follow. I am a firm believer in "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. While I can't claim to always be positive or flawlessly follow every principle, I aspire to embrace positivity in the future.
As Rhonda Byrne aptly states, "If you're feeling good, then you're creating a future that's on track with your desires. If you're feeling bad, you're creating a future that's off track with your desires. As you go about your day, the law of attraction is working in every second. Everything we think and feel is creating our future. If you're worried or in fear, then you're bringing more of that into your life throughout the day."
I came across an incredible quote by Steve Jobs that I couldn't resist sharing: "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."
I hope that someday in the future, we all find the passion to pursue our dreams, embrace positivity, and strive diligently towards achieving them. At that point, life couldn't get any better!