Expression - I remember back when I was traveling in Europe and South East Asia one of the first questions that a majority of people would ask is what do you study or what do you want to be? Each time that someone had asked me this question a huge part of me felt like I had failed. At the time I was 20 years old and my answer was always I have no idea and that I’m currently not enrolled in school. I had some ideas of what I wanted to do, I’ve thought about being everything from a underwater photographer for National Geographic to a marine biologist, a welder, an art teacher and even a forest fire fighter. When I think about it it seems like i’ve always been asked this question growing up, even in elementary school. How in the heck was I supposed to know what I wanted to be at the age of 6? I could barely tie my shoes! Never mind trying to figure out what I wanted to be 20 years down the road. I was more focused on living in the moment, playing in the sandbox my dad built for us as kids. Dressing up my brother in girls clothes or building forts in the greenbelt beside our house. I’m aware that an education is an important part to life and sometimes I do wish that I would have focused on my studies much more during and after high school. But one thing I’ve come to realize is how the school system just didn’t work for me. I found myself questioning my own intelligence, thinking that perhaps I was stupid for not getting grades similar to what my peers got. It was hard for me to stay focused and learn all of these subjects that I didn’t find any interest in. It didn’t help that at that age I barely had a clue of who I was and what I was even passionate about. Can’t we just play and have fun with our friends?
Luckily by traveling across Europe things started to become a little bit more clearer for me.
There truly is something special about taking a step back, slowing down and finding the time to think for yourself for once. Traveling has always provided this space of freedom for me, to allow my creative thoughts to flow and to bring my imagination back to life. Does our inner child know something that we don’t? If there was no such thing as money would you still be doing what you do today? Unfortunately this isn’t the case and that money does make the world go around. But by removing all the distractions, by silencing the mind and becoming still, your souls purpose starts to become that much more clear. When we’re constantly watching TV, taking important phone calls, being distracted by works emails or scrolling endlessly through Facebook, how is it that your going to wake up to what is rightfully yours? You deserve to know what makes you move, to know the creative being that you have always been.
Back in 2013 when I started painting again I couldn’t believe how many people told me that they wished they could be creative. Well, Ill have you know that we are ALL creative beings, we’ve just lost our ways. Whether its cooking, painting, singing, dancing, building, or playing an instrument there are many different ways you can be creative. And the important thing to remember is that you don’t have to be a professional in order to be good at something. Its about EXPRESSING OURSELVES! Let go of the thought that there is only one right way to do something, once you let this go and remove the fear of what other people will think of you. You will start to become an amazing dancer, painter or musician, in your own eyes and thats all that matters. Ive noticed with going out dancing at the bar sober over this last year how many people just look like they’re in search of something more and that they’re too scared to dance because they’re too worried about being watched. STOP IT! It doesn’t matter what you look like, whether your flailing your hands around up in the air or your jumping up and down making your feet stomp loud. All that matters is that you find a way to feel the warmth of your own heart while dancing, which then brings this strong sense of fearlessness and confidence.
What did you enjoy doing as a kid? If it was playing in the dirt, go build yourself a garden. If it was jumping in the puddles, go for a walk in the rain. If it was climbing fences, go take up a rock climbing class. Stop making excuses, make your inner child proud. It’s important to be an adult and make smart logical decisions at times, but if you’re feeling a little stuck I encourage you to every morning tell yourself, “I am a creative and expressive being,” and watch what happens. We’ve been told by our parents that we need to grow up and to stop being childish. But why does this feel so misleading when we have this massive playground to explore. Taking 10 years to find out what it is that i’m meant to offer the world was the best decision i’ve ever made. There really is no rush to any of this, so take your time and enjoy the ride. Im so excited and passionate about what Im studying. It’s never too late to learn something new, especially learning something new about yourself! Take some time for you, watch the leaves fall from the sky, sit at a park bench while the birds fly up high, express yourself and watch life dance before your eyes and remember, you don’t need to do or be anything more than you already are, right now in this moment. Because you already are and always will be a magnificent human being.
