Every Child is an Artist

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” – Pablo Picasso

This is a wise quote from the artist Pablo Picasso. I agree with it because as children, we are quite imaginative and adventurous. We are naturally excited about life and draw into our inner creativity in order to live our lives.

However, as we grow older, we fall into the pit of what most of society believes. They say to settle down, pursue “real subjects” with “job potential” such as math or science, and to send out resumes to complete strangers so that they might hire you for a salary that they decide for you. Settling for mediocrity, these people lead unfulfilling lives and have lost their innate ability to create. They forget that they were creators at birth, learning their new environment and creating their own reality, only to align to what society believes to be “normal”.

Are you in the top 1% of people who realize that life can not only be fun and adventurous, but fulfilling in many aspects (yes, even financially)? If so, you have a can-do attitude that has no limits. You realize that you can have it both ways and that you don’t have to settle or compromise for less. You know that you can reach your highest potential just by being yourself. And, you realize that all people have the ability to be creative, but few seldom take that route, for fear of the unknown.

For many years, I’ve been wanting to write a book. But, I just couldn’t get into the zone of actually sitting down and writing one. Then towards the end of 2016, I finally sat down and worked on my first book. It was largely written using uncopyrighted works (Steve Pavlina!), but hey, I published it and it garnered a few sales. I was used to blogging for some time, but did not have a solid idea for what kind of book I wanted to write. But eventually a week or so ago, I wrote two short books. And now, I’m thinking of writing a longer book, hoping that maybe it will become a bestseller or a popular book of its kind. With Amazon, it’s easier than ever to write an eBook and get it published. That is just one avenue in which you can explore your creativity while contributing positively to society.

There are many other ways to express creativity. You could make it social by sharing with others, such as sharing your own artwork or music. Or, you can just pick it up as a hobby (poetry, dancing, meditation, and more). Just because you’re an adult, doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy life. Just because some people decided to live in misery, doesn’t mean that you have to walk down that path too. Explore your interests and your hobbies. And if you’re lucky (a.k.a. persistent with the path you are going), you can find a way to make money from it if that is what you desire. Or, you may create a lifestyle around your works (such as young people do after years of dancing, when they decide to become teachers). If a 10-year-old can learn how to create money through producing an app on a smartphone, I’m sure an adult with such drive could learn how to do the same.

The same goes for blogging. I’ve been blogging for years, but only recently decided to pursue passive income through blogging more seriously. I used to blog on Xanga when I was in middle school. Flash forward to more than a decade later, I’ve decided to continue blogging, but to focus on creating content that motivates and inspires positivity in others. Not only do I get to share with others, but I enjoy the process, meanwhile making some money through Google AdSense and Amazon affiliate links (for products that I think the reader may enjoy).

I think what happens as we grow older is that we ignore that inner child of ours. We forget that life is meant to be enjoyed. You only live once, right? And even if you believe in reincarnation, you still have one life at the moment to live. So why not express yourself creatively? Why not be the artist? Why not create the life that you enjoy? There is more to life than just a steady paycheck. Express yourself, and enjoy it. (;