So there's this guy, right. And he's kinda insta-famous, and he's kinda written some books, and he's also kinda good at spreading happiness and inspiration. Kinda. Emphasis on the kind part.
Because if there's anything Dallas Clayton excels at beyond a doubt, it's expressing his kindness and compassion through his creativity, on paper and on walls, around town or around Instagram, on your driveway or on your computer screen. On his website, he introduces himself as "an author, illustrator, public speaker, mural painter, and adventure seeker." Why do I mention this? Because of that last bit. Because instead of hibernating and keeping his talents to himself, or sidelining them to a weekend hobby, he's made his life around them. He's created his own adventures, and in doing so, inspired others to do the same.
How did I stumble upon this random Californian guy who happens to radiate everything I stand for? Simple, by what we would call "word of mouth," or in today's world, a friend who tagged me in an Instagram comment on his page not just once, but several times. Finally, I decided to follow him myself, since everything I saw always made me smile and want to share my happiness with others.
Take just one glance at his page, which is up to 182,000 followers and is Instagram verified, and you'll see lots of bright colors, make believe creatures, and the kind of quotes that you never knew you always needed. But that doesn't mean he's completely unrealistic and portrays life as all bubbles and rainbows -- no, he gets that life is hard, and life can be a downer, and life just doesn't care about you sometimes -- but rather than get mad or promise solutions that no one can actually carry out, he chooses instead to focus on the positive, or paint negative things in a light that says, "You're OK. It's going to be OK. I know it's hard, but this isn't the end."
With a heavy emphasis on adventures and wandering around a bit before finally settling into our souls, Dallas has certainly paved the way for others to think outside the box and live creatively. In a recent Instagram he summed it all up when he wrote, "It's important to escape your car, your town, and your understanding of how things should be every now and again. Float some."
In a world where some people merely exist to dread and complain about their mundane routine, Dallas proves that those who believe in themselves and their lives can make even the smallest walk around the block into a grandiose adventure.
Right on, Dallas. I think you're onto something.
Stay rad.
