When you’re a child, adults always ask you what you want to be when you grow up, and you always answer with something ridiculous like a princess or an astronaut. As you grew up what you wanted to be when you became an adult always changed, and then college happened and you had to decide. Your parents and other adults influenced your decision, telling you what jobs would make you the most money and help you be the most successful. However, I think there is more to life than money. Success can be measured in many different ways.

It is important to find balance in your life between being successful financially and being successful mentally. Your childhood dreams or even your secret passion that you left behind to pursue some higher paying career can still be achieved. You should never think that happiness and money cannot be achieved at the same time, which is why I am trying to remind you of that passion you have and encourage you to pursue it even while you become that CEO or lawyer. This passion can even involve the career path you are on, if that truly is what makes you happy. You just need to make sure you are putting your heart and soul into everything you do for that job so you are creating your own personal art that you are proud of.

There are many forms of art. I enjoy the literal version of art by doodling to relieve my stress and create an outlet for my emotions. I am not going to be doing this as my career, but is something that I do to make myself happy while also trying to be successful in my work life. However, art can appear just by being proud of the work you do in your job, or the paper you write, or the project you create. Art is anything that you fully dedicate your time to and show pride in. What I am trying to say is that it is important to focus on your mental health as much as it is important to focus on your economic success. Passion is the single most important thing in maintaining mental health, and passion should not be left behind in your childhood fantasies. It is possible to be both a princess and a doctor if that is your passion. It is just up to you to make it happen. It may be hard to find the balance, but in the end it could be the difference in a life of happiness and a life of regret. It is possible to have both money and happiness, whether you think so right now or not. School is hard, but it can be made easier and less stressful if you pursue your passions and create art in every single thing you do. This is what will make you happy in the end after all your hard work.

Just keep pursuing your passions and creating art.