What do you do for a living?

The dream is, if someone ever asks me, "What do you do for a living?" - my answer is "Whatever I want." Quiet badass, right? 

After navigating through 30 years of life and dedicating 15 to crafting a career characterized by a whirlwind of creativity, chaos, and the occasional touch of insanity, each moment has proven to be profoundly worthwhile. Amidst this journey, I realize that I yearn for a life where my creative spirit can roam freely.

However, let's face it: the dreamy aspiration has its challenges. Yes, freedom comes at a cost, and sometimes that cost surpasses the rewards one strives to achieve.

The primary toll is the experience of loss—losing those who fail to comprehend your essence and unwittingly pull you down. It involves bidding farewell to relationships tainted by envy or restricted by confining boxes, perhaps stemming from discomfort with your unrestrained freedom. Additionally, there's the relinquishment of the so-called 'normal' life, as the pursuit of creativity often demands the courage to venture down unconventional paths that promise a unique joy.

Then there's the loss of the every day—the adherence to societal timelines. Opting for a self-guided rhythm incurs the cost of forsaking those timelines and executing tasks on your terms, according to your carefully chosen timeline.

People applaud your outlook, the expression you have, the things you could do that not everyone has access to, the brave decisions you make - but they don't understand the price paid to craft it. This price tag includes distress, sadness, and moments when continuing seems impossible. Yet, if courage is your guiding principle, you must embrace the loss, the cost, and the heartbreak.

2023—a year where self-doubt briefly held sway, but I bounced back, remembering the values that anchor my life. Today, I reintroduce myself to you: I am a Creative. 

What's the grand plan for the upcoming year? It's simple: cultivating even more creativity, curiosity, and courage.

I am keenly aware of the price—both paid and anticipated—yet I recognize its inevitability. I now understand that nothing on this life's stage brings me greater joy than birthing an idea, crafting a poem, or formulating a solution with the potential to transform lives—both today and in the future.

So, here's to 2024—a toast to courage, creativity, and an acknowledgment of the ongoing odyssey. May the path be as intricate as necessary, for within the twists and turns, the most extraordinary stories are written.