I think something a lot of us fall victim to is society's urge to put us all into boxes. We create invisible boundaries and if there is something we want to do to change our identity (even minimally), we pressure ourselves into staying in our box. For example, how many people would love to dye their hair bright pink or pierce their septum, but feel like they couldn't "pull it off"?
Of course you can. The only difference between you and the person who went through with changing their appearance is confidence. When you have the bravery to step outside of your comfort zone and shake up society's expectations of normality, most people will look at that with admiration. They will want to fall in your footsteps. Of course, this goes beyond your hair color.
We are defined by the lines that are drawn by our career choices, and who we choose to be on a day-to-day basis. For me, that's being a writer. Since middle school, I was labeled as "a writer" and, though I loved it, it restricted who I thought I could be. After so many years of having that label metaphorically hanging over my head, I felt like it truly defined who I was. If I wasn't writing or I stopped loving it, then it meant I was a failure. I wasn't worthy of the title. My entire life centered around writing. That is until I got to college.
Even though I'm majoring in creative writing, I've learned to accept the fact that my major does not define my entire life. What I decide to do with my life now may not be the same as what I decide to do in a decade. As goes for most majors, you are encouraged to take part in extracurriculars pertaining to your major. Why? It looks good on your resume, and it can give you experience. However, what if I want to be in this other group instead? It may not belong to my area of study, but it makes me happy. It will still give me experiences that are beneficial to my future.
This idea of sticking to your major and always thinking about your future is draining, and it feels counterproductive at times. Like I said, I was always writing.
When college came and depression followed, writing became a chore. It still feels that way at times. I do enjoy it, but it's really difficult. Something I've had to let myself do is be creative in other fields and take a break from writing, but while remaining productive to avoid any sense of guilt. I've had to relearn how to be creative. This may seem like a cakewalk to most artistic minds like myself. However, I had been trapped in my little box for so long that I felt like I wasn't allowed to touch other creative mediums.
Art is therapeutic, and no rules or regulations should be put on it. I always admired the people who were not only writers but artists. They could draw beautiful images, create gorgeous pottery, or knit a cute bed for their cat. It wasn't until the age of 21, and after about eight years of writing, that I realized I could be that person. I'm not restricted by anything other than myself. If I want to work on getting better at drawing, then I can. I'm allowed because nobody is stopping me. If I want to take up another artistic hobby, then I can. I own my life, and you own yours.
