Summary

The author reflects on the journey from childhood dreams to adult realities, emphasizing the importance of reconnecting with one's innate creative passions.

Abstract

The article is a personal narrative that encourages readers to revisit their childhood aspirations and compare them with their current life paths. The author reminisces about their diverse dreams during the ages of 7–12, ranging from becoming Miss Universe to a writer, and how these dreams evolved into a pursuit of a Master's degree in Human Resources. The piece highlights the disconnect that often occurs as one transitions into adulthood, where societal expectations and the desire for safety can stifle one's inherent creativity. The author shares their own experience of losing touch with their creative side, only to rediscover it through writing, which led to a fulfilling sense of purpose without the need for external validation. The article concludes by urging readers to recognize the ways in which their childhood dreams may still be influencing their lives and to trust the process of rekindling their creative energies.

Opinions

The author believes that the dreams and passions of one's childhood hold significant value and can influence one's adult life.
They suggest that societal pressures and the pursuit of a 'safe' career path can lead to a loss of personal creativity and dreams.
The author posits that creativity is an intrinsic part of oneself that seeks expression and fulfillment, not just for personal satisfaction but also to serve others.
They express that external validation, such as social media likes and followers, is not a true measure of creative fulfillment.
The article conveys the opinion that one's true calling may manifest in various forms throughout life, and it is important to recognize and nurture these expressions of creativity.
The author emphasizes the importance of trusting the process of personal growth and creative exploration, advocating for a return to the uninhibited creativity of childhood.

The Profound Poetic Wisdom From My 7-Year-Old Self Followed Me Back

The universe will give you what's meant for you

I want you to go back in time with me, will you?

Picture yourself when you were between 7–12 years old. What kind of person were you? What did you enjoy doing during the summer holidays? What did you want to become?

Don’t shy away, recollect it. I wanted to be a writer and Miss Universe.

But right now this isn’t about me, it’s about you. What were your dreams before people around you threw expectations on you?

What did you tell your parents and teachers when they asked you what do you want to become when you grow up? Did you enjoy visits to the museum or a day full of play? Did you enjoy sleepovers or sitting in a quiet corner with your books and a journal?

There are no rules, you can also choose both. I enjoyed sleepovers and sitting in a quiet corner scribbling in my journal or drawing on my scrapbook.

Now let's take a step forward, between the ages of 7–12, what all did you want to become?

I wanted to be a Miss Universe, a doctor, fashion designer, writer, pilot, and engineer. I didn’t even know what engineering was, my dad told me it’s good to pursue so that's what I wanted to do.

Now let’s walk up to another step. Between then and now, what is different? Is your current path aligned to the one you’re on now? Do you wish that your 7-year-old self became what they intended to? What changed?

For me, I ended up pursuing a Master's degree in Human Resources. I can see my 7-year-old self frowning right now.

Dear reader, I already feel we’re in a conversation. Why don’t I tell you my story and you tell me yours?

When I was 7, I started writing poetry. These poems ranged across topics, from leaf to nature to family to life.

Hey, don’t smirk, I had 7 years of life experience and that’s enough experience to have expertise on a topic.

I wanted to be Miss Universe for fame. Let’s pretend that I did not just say that.

Fast forward to high school, I continued writing.

Being in a boarding school meant a lack of privacy, everybody had access to everything you own. So you want to write about that girl who bullied you or the teacher you resent? Think again.

My friend Sana and I invented our own code language. It was so secretive that we didn’t even understand each other’s code languages. Mine included symbols whereas hers included objects from cherries to apple to a T-shirt. I often wonder if she understood her own code language?

Anyhow, that gave me a habit of journaling. I write about productivity often, but this is a habit I lost long ago.

Sana and I both enjoyed writing and contributed to school newsletters, got onto the editorial team, and until we graduated we contributed numerous articles and poems.

For us, we were the most brilliant writers we knew.

I also thought of becoming a novelist one day and asked my English teacher to be my editor. She agreed.

Fast forward to adulthood, this is where the dip comes, dear reader.

We lost all our dreams, and being in the system also ripped our ability to dream. Did this happen to you too? What did you do about it? Because I did absolutely nothing.

I followed the crowd. Got my Bachelors, got my Master’s, because this is what educated people do in order to get good jobs, everybody told me.

I started to please society. I took zero risks. I made it a safe journey for myself, not understanding that what looks safe on the outside can feel lethal on the inside.

You’re stuck in a system that has defined working hours and responsibilities. And your brain, which once loved creating and ideating and curating comes to a standstill.

What once made you feel alive and made time stop for you went away, and every moment feels awake.

I started channelising this energy elsewhere. I didn’t know back then that I was releasing my creative energy.

I started writing on Quora and gained millions of views. I wrote inspirational posts on Instagram regarding my fitness journey and gained thousands of followers.

I started a fitness blog to document my weight loss journey, and it got good traction.

All the notifications, the red heart likes, the numbers going up, and I felt nothing. If it did, I would’ve continued.

So all this died, too.

They say the Universe has its way to direct you to the path you’re intended to be. And if you’re not there yet, then have faith in the process.

Creativity is like magic, it’s there in you screaming to come out and woo people. It’s your art. You do it to serve others but also to fulfill yourself. And imbalance here leads to dissatisfaction.

Years later, this creativity came out while writing an article. This time, there were no notifications, no virality like Quora, and no tens and thousands of followers.

But it did service and reached the right places and fulfilled my soul.

It made me come to the table and write each day to hone my craft.

It made my creative energies flow like the summer holidays back when I was in primary school and spent hours in my room creating art.

It was always there, getting released in several outlets. I just didn’t know it.

So look back for the last time at your younger self. What is something you carried with you and wanted to be with forever?

What happened?

Have you also spent all your life putting that energy into different outlets? Maybe you did and haven’t recognised it yet?

What can you do about it now?

And if you have an answer to the last question, it’s time to trust the process.

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