Simple exercise in creativity

- Get an empty notepad and pencil or pen.
- Go somewhere far away from your normal haunts.
- Get situated.
- Look around for an object of interest.
- Draw or write about something that the object of interest reminds you of, or anything else that comes to mind.

Example: You see a tree. It reminds you of a torch. Draw a torch that looks similar to the tree.

This helps you see new things in the objects around you. Clouds can be especially helpful. Some clouds can look like spaceships.

Sometimes it doesn't matter what you draw or write, and whether it has any connection to what is around you. Sometimes simply being inspired is enough.

The option of no option

Which would you prefer?

Option 1: Starting out on your own path, likely living with low income at first, but at least living the life you want.

Option 2: Starting out on a path with income, then coming to a realization 10-20 years later that while you have money and other things, you haven't been living the life you want.

The latter is where I found myself recently. It felt like I was basically following what everyone else what suggesting for what to do with my life, or the way to live my life. One reason for my compliance was just that I didn't have a particular direction I thought I needed to follow.

This changes when you decide that following your own beat is, in fact, the way you would like to live. Then other people's suggestions become references that can be used, but should not be followed blindly, and can be outright rejected.

Of course, part of the problem is realizing that you can simply choose your own path from the beginning. In my case, it wasn't presented to me as an option, so I had no idea that it was a valid choice. I don't even fault my parents for that, because they have been as supportive as I could have hoped, and perhaps the option wasn't something known to them either.

Learn something about yourself, then apply it

Interesting how your life outlook changes when you categorize things about yourself.

It didn't occur to me that I might be a free spirit type of person, even if it was obvious and even mentioned to me before.

If I take that perspective and apply it to my life, I might want to modify how I live my life to make it more fulfilling for free spirits, which may, in turn, make my life more fulfilling.

At least in my case, if I learn something about myself, I can optimize my life around it to reduce bad things and increase good things.

I would encourage other people to at least take inventory and take note of things you like and things you don't, and do what you can to optimize your life around those things.

Some might ask "Why are you discovering this so late in life?" Perhaps I was following a free spirit path already, but didn't know it, and perhaps I lost the path, not knowing that I was on the path to begin with. Perhaps I then did not know what I was looking for, until I stumbled across the path once more.

Perhaps you are doing something similar, where you are blindly following the path that is best for you, and you too may be lost when you accidentally stray from it.

Or, perhaps you are/were like me, where you have interests, but don't have a focus. Consider that you may be a free spirit, and perhaps you should remember that when the time comes to make a major life decision, like getting a job, getting a house, or starting a family.

Great Idea? Give Examples.

When coming up with ideas that you think could be used well, specify examples where the principle is applied well. If you give a general principle, it is easy to twist into a bad example or use for other ends. With concrete examples, the principle can be refined to something better suited to your vision.

Attaining Success And Recognition

In the pursuit of recognition and success, it's easy to be distracted by other success stories and attempt to follow or mimic them.

The best way to go about it is to find things that deeply interest you, and follow that interest as long as it lasts. Those things you follow deepest and longest will be your success stories.