I chose a path that no one wanted me to take. A transition from Chartered Accountant to an Artist doesn’t seem accepted by our society. Why did you do CA when you wanted to just paint on things? You wasted 5 years of your life? You are just doing painting! These were the questions I heard every day, in every conversation.
I won’t lie but yes there were times when I started doubting myself. When people of my age were being promoted to be managers, assistant managers while I was Leaving a well-paid job in Big Four, leaving job security, leaving parents and societies expectations of becoming a partner one day. It haunts you every day! Literally. The fear of losing in this race makes you feel vulnerable, but it’s time to realize there is no race with others, you are competing with yourself.
It was a tough decision, but when I close my eyes and imagine myself in a room with my laptop doing some companies finances, my heartbeat rises not of excitement but of fear, sadness. At the same time, when I imagine myself in the same room with my laptop putting in efforts in my small business to make it a big success, even though how much of a far dream it may look, my heartbeat still rises but because of excitement, happiness, I still feel fearful but that is different.
There is nothing wrong with being in a job, if you are good at it, if you enjoy it or even if it pays your bills. But It wasn’t for me and my heart knew that, though it took me 5 years to realize it. That is why when people say you wasted 5 years, I never think of it that way. I learned my way to be an artist. Its not just paintings, it’s not just brushes, those are my tools, my passion, my happiness that motivates me to keep going forward. Today I have started my own small business artblizz.ca and have managed to do 2 art shows in a month. I am proud of where I am today because it’s a path no one wanted me to take.