The Prodigal Designer

You might have heard of this tale called “The Prodigal Son.”

There’s two kids. The older one is responsible and loyal. He stays at home with his parents and helps out around the house. He’s a freakin’ gem.

The younger one is a train wreck. He moves out, spends all of his inheritance and has to beg for food. Finally, completed humbled, he comes back home, not to regain his former place, but to ask if he can work as a servant. He’s learned his lesson.

The dad is quite happy to see him. He gives him his own clothes and shoes and has a huge party in his honor.

The older son? He’s fuming. What. The. F*ck.?!? He can’t believe this little turd is actually being rewarded for being so irresponsible. Then, his dad gives him a lecture for getting mad. Talk about adding insult to injury.

I really sided with that older son when I heard this story. I mean, f*ck that younger kid. What a douche.

As I get older, I start to realize that maybe this story isn’t about 3 different people. Maybe it’s not literal.

Maybe it’s about one person; a person who believes that they’re only worth something if they’re acting in the exact perfect way society thinks that they should. (Which is a lot of us.)

If this person has one slip up - one bad decision, bad investment, one wild night - it might as well be OVER. EVERYTHING IS RUINED. And living in a way that aligns with what they want from life? Forget it. That’s SELFISH and IRRESPONSIBLE.

Finally, the person gains some perspective. They start to realize that beating themselves up every time they make a mistake isn’t any way to live - and that it doesn’t help anything. Instead, they choose celebrate their little wins. Their life becomes infinitely more joyful.

The road to a fulfilling creative life is long and full of doubts, massive anxieties and feelings of failure, feelings that what you’re doing is not just insane but also kind of irresponsible.

You can always choose to stop berating yourself.
To find yourself, and bring yourself in out of the cold.
To celebrate everything you achieve, no matter how small it seems or how long it took.
To welcome yourself home.

XOXO,

Cathy