I recently read somewhere that the best way to determine if you’re truly following your heart’s path is to ask yourself one question:
Would six-year-old-me be proud of where I am today?
Now, our six-year-old-selves weren’t exactly informed about the realities of being a grown-up. They didn’t realize the cost of living, the pressures of social obligations, the time and effort of education and all of those other situations that have kept us from being the astronauts or marine biologists we once dreamt of. But, they did know who they were at their cores – insecurity and being who they thought they should be didn’t exist – they knew no other way. They just existed. Purely, honestly exactly as they were.
It was five years ago when I realized I wasn’t living my own life. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy enough. I was being challenged and growing. I had done things as I should have and was successful. But, something was different. Something wasn’t right.
There is so much more truth to us as children – those moments we would get lost in our own little worlds showed our truth. As a kid I was always storytelling and creating. Most often it was just a short-story written in my room, but it got more elaborate when I had enough kids around to really ignite my imagination. A fully penned script would come to life over a couple hours of rehearsals, and a full make-up and costuming session. A marquee sign would be designed and with it branded programs, complete with bios, and matching tickets would be sold to whatever adults we could find in the house or neighbourhood.
Rehearsals are imperative. Watch closely, kids. 5, 6, 7, 8.
But, somehow as an adult I found myself in a job where I was pushing something created by someone else, and telling someone else’s story.
I was under-stimulated, and no amount of extracurricular creativity could satiate me.
I wanted to write. So I started to write.
I wanted to create each day. So I started to create.
Life really is THAT simple.
Me and my main co-star.
Did it come without sacrifice? Hell, no. It’s been the toughest five years of my life. But, has it been worth it? Absolutely.
So, how about you? What were you like? What are you doing now?
Would your six-year-old self be proud?
