I'm an artist at heart, performer and songwriter, and a lover of all things creatively & artistically beautiful. In this little corner of the internet, we talk about how to live an artistic lifestyle, fit with the tools, techniques, tips, and community. Get comfy and cozy.
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It’s 9pm, and here you are again — watching videos of artists painting in cozy studios, singing on stage, or spending their days making what they love.
Your thumb keeps scrolling, but your heart feels heavier with each peek into their lives. (I’ve been there, friend.)
“That could be me.” 💬
“Why am I not there yet?” 💬
“What are they doing that I’m not?” 💬
Your craft, your love, your passion is sitting in the corner of your brain… because your day job takes all your energy.
(And let’s be honest — scrolling through other people’s artistic journeys and playing the comparison trap isn’t helping either!)
But those videos aren’t showing up on your feed by accident. And that pull you feel toward a creative life isn’t just wishful thinking.
It’s your artistic soul trying to wake you up to what’s possible — yes, even with your current job, even without connections, even if no one else gets it!
Let’s talk about some real signs that it’s time to start building your creative dream life to live a life of your own, one tiny courageous step at a time.
Because that artist you keep watching? They started exactly where you are right now. ✨
✨ Maybe this also inspires you: How to Use Creative Affirmations to Find Your Flow
To live a life of your own means creating each day with intention and artistry.
It’s not about following someone else’s “perfect” creative life template (like we so often create from social media). Instead, it’s about intentionally designing each part of your world – from your morning routine to your workspace to your income streams – to nurture your unique artistic path and romanticizing the journey.
When you embrace living authentically, every day becomes an opportunity to align your actions with your dreams.
“Just be yourself!”
I know, I know. EASIER SAID THAN DONE. 👏
Finding your own path in life feels impossible when you’re trying to equally 1) lean into your unique niche/brand/genre of YOU, and 2) learn how to make art that people will pay money for.
There’s a value of knowing both. There’s a value in having that weird combination of interests, personality quirks and talents that make you *you* (like how you can quote both Shakespeare and every line from Mean Girls) and use that artistic fingerprint to make a full-time living.
So… how do we find this balance? 👇
The only way you can stop this moving target (and dreamily live a life of your own) is creating your own definition of a successful journey.
I say successful journey because we could all get destination addiction from just moving onto the next next next next next best thing. And that’s great — happy for you that you have goals. (Many people don’t.)
But I want you to love and romanticize the times in-between, too. This is about creating your dream life, not just your dream *few days that I actually get to make my art and every other day sucks.*
The days that are boring. The days that you aren’t creating. How can we make these days as creative and inspiring as possible, still?
Some ideas I have for creating your own definition of a *successful journey*:
⏰ Perhaps you also might like: Task Batching: The Secret For Artists Who Want to Do It All
When you start learning to live a life of your own, your authentic path becomes clearer. But what emphasizes this even more is when you find like-minded creatives who have that same love and drive for their craft as you do.
This could be artists in your same field (all actors together) or different artists (a dancer, a visual artist, etc.). After all, even if you can create in solidarity, art was meant to be created and/or enjoyed as a community.
Tangibly, this might look like:
Let’s have a heart-to-heart about some signs that you might need to strengthen your foundation before taking that next big creative leap.
Because the never-ending self-discovery journey of being a creative often begins with subtle hints from the universe. 🪐 (BTW, I’ve felt all of these and ebb and flow through them throughout the months, too.)
Here are some signs you’re ready for change 👇
I see you refreshing your Instagram feed for the hundredth time today. I’ve done it so many times. Hoping I get a video that goes viral (whatever the heck that will bring us). Hoping those likes will somehow tell us that our art matters.
External validation is a lot like sugar — it gives you that nice quick high, but it leaves you crashing and hungry for more.
Are you stuck in this permission-seeking cycle? Check if…
Remember: our art doesn’t become more valid when others approve of it – it’s already valid because it came from your soul.
If you’re still believing that creativity only counts when you’re exhausted, this one’s for you.
Because my friend, burnout is not a badge of honor. Making yourself struggle because other people are just will 👏 not 👏 get 👏 you 👏 there.
I remember back in college, I had a roommate who was paying for college entirely himself. Iconic. Was so inspired by him. I felt this sense of shame that I didn’t have to struggle as much as him. I almost wanted to force myself to have to work as hard as him, or else I wasn’t enough.
If you’ve ever felt like this, you’re not alone. Take these signs as a little wake-up call to remind you that you don’t need to make your life hard 👇
Read this over and over until you believe is: you shouldn’t need to suffer to prove your worth as a creative. If you have, that’s amazing and I’m so proud of you. If you haven’t, I’m still proud of you.
Those successful artists you admire? They’re not successful despite being happy – they’re successful because they learned to create from a place of joy.
👧 Oooo, would you also like this?: 10 Inner Child Quotes to Reignite Your Creative Spark
Manifestation is magical, but even magic needs a container to hold it. 🪄
If you’re stuck in “someday” mode, it might be because you’re missing the bridge between your dreams and reality: systems.
So… what’s the key to how to be independent from living in the “someday” mode?
Maybe you love the idea of manifestation but feel lost when it comes to turning those visualizations into actual, tangible wins. I get it. A lot of manifestation talks about imagining and visualizing and believing and not about the HUGE REQUIREMENT that’s needed for manifestation to work: INSPIRED ACTION.
This is the difference between you actually seeing your goals happening and them just floating around like little butterflies. They’re pretty to look at, but feel impossible to catch because you don’t have the timelines or action steps.
You also might be living in “someday” mode if you feel like there’s this “perfect moment” to start. (spoiler alert: perfect moments are created, not found.)
Oh, and then there’s the hostage of the “when/then statement.” AKA, “when I have more time, then I will X,” or “when I feel more ready, then I will Y.”
Here’s the truth that changed everything for me: Systems don’t have to be the total opposite of creativity. Sure, they’re not magical and intuitive and flowing like the creative process can be. But they are the container to help your creativity flourish.
And remember friend — seeing these patterns in yourself doesn’t mean you’re failing! Quite the opposite, in fact. It means you actually have the self-awareness to see what holds so many of us back.
Because when we can name what’s holding us back, we can start crafting strategies to move forward. 🤸
💫 This is kinda similar to what we’re talking about: The Law of Attraction Creative Process: How to Manifest Your Magic
Dive into some more authentic lifestyle tips that have helped me and other artists design a life we love — inside and outside of the studio. ✨
I want you to live life for yourself — and friend, you’re in the perfect place to start. I invite you to subscribe to my YouTube channel today and start getting more creative inspiration. 🙌
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I'm an artist at heart, performer and songwriter, and a lover of all things creatively & artistically beautiful. In this little corner of the internet, we talk about how to live an artistic lifestyle, fit with the tools, techniques, tips, and community. Get comfy and cozy.
BACK TO THE BLOG
I'll pass you little notes full of my latest musings, tips & fav creative tools for being your best artist.