From a young age, I’ve always been career-driven. I realized this early on. Even when I was just a freshman in high school. While many of my classmates were focused on sports or weekend plans, I was clocking in at my first job at the age of 14.
As the youngest of three siblings, I grew up constantly watching, listening, and learning from my older brother and sister. Whether they were making mistakes or achieving big milestones, I paid attention. They inspired me, but I knew I wanted to carve out a different path for myself.
My siblings and I always connected through shared interests like music, movies, and art. For me, art has always been a big passion of mine. Whether hand-drawn, written, printed, or digital. Still, for a long time, I wasn’t sure how to turn that passion into a sustainable career.
One form of art that has stuck with me is photography. In high school, my dream was to become a National Geographic photographer. That dream slowly faded as life moved forward, but the love for photography never left.
While I may not be traveling the world capturing rare wildlife, photography remains a part of my life. It’s become a personal creative outlet. Something I do for myself. There are no rules, no guidelines, and no pressure to be perfect. I get to fully capture what I see through the lens, the way I see it, and create my own story for the audience.
Creativity is where I thrive. I truly believe most people reach their full potential when they’re given the freedom to create. And while I may not be a professional photographer, I’m still using my creativity daily.
After college, my work in marketing and advertising opened new doors for me. I’ve developed skills I never would have discovered on another path. Skills in design, writing, and visual storytelling. It reminded me that creativity doesn’t have to look a certain way to be valid or valuable.
If I could offer any advice to my 17-year-old self, it would be this: Keep being true to yourself. In high school, I often felt like I was writing in the wrong voice or that my ideas didn’t fit the mold. But those experiences led me exactly where I needed to be. So many of us have felt discouraged by one harsh critique, especially when we’ve poured our hearts into something. But one opinion doesn’t define your talent or your future.
Keep going. Keep writing. Keep creating.
I hope this post serves as motivation for anyone who’s working toward their goals, even when the path isn’t clear. Everyone will have different opinions about your work. That’s what makes us unique. The key is to focus on the encouragement, not the criticism. If what you’ve created brings you joy, that’s what matters most.
theteawithLV 
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