Bounce Back: How To Rise Up After A Loss
In our first episode of The Currently Podcast we spoke to artist, illustrator, designer and the co-founder of Born in June Creative, Joshua Sandoval. We reflected on the wisdom we gathered from our 20’s, being creative, how to find out what you should do with your life and the lessons we still have to learn.
Here are some highlights from our conversation!
On How 30 is the New 20:“In the past by the age of 30 the big decisions on life, love and the day-to -day were fixed by the time we hit that milestone birthday. But in recent times this has changed and people nowadays are shifting courses in their 30s or 20s at a time when it seems like they should be settling down.”
On What To Do If You Messed Up in the Past: “Where we begin doesn't always determine where we're going to end up.”
The Key To Creating Good Art As A Creative: “if you're an artist you have to know who you are and your art is basically an expression of that.”
What Your Creativity Can Give You, If You Let It: “My creativity has led me to opportunities that have helped me discover who I am. To understand how the world works. It's definitely been the protagonist for me to understand who I am and that saved my life in some ways. “
On Why It Matters To See People Like You In Professional Spaces: “I remember going into these spaces and looking around and not seen anyone who looked like me you know and feeling like it wasn't a possibility or something that I would want to do. My goal is that I can create opportunities so that doesn’t happen as much.”
On Finding Your Purpose Later In Life: “There's so much pressure I think during that junior or senior year (of high school) to really pick a pick a side and kind of go down a road. You almost feel an obligation to do something. I wasn't ready to make that choice yet at such an early age. I have noticed that a lot of times when people start doing things young, it's not a choice they make with their heart. What can happen is that by the time they're in the 30s they’re burnt out or having an existential crisis where they don't understand why they're not happy or fulfilled. It's almost like I had to go through all these different different journeys and different ups and downs to realize this is what i’m supposed to do.”
On What To Do If You Feel Like You Took The Wrong Path In Life: “Don't ever feel like a choice is permanent. Yes, sometimes we're really afraid of making choices because we feel as though you know if I choose a major in college, that's it ,that's my life. If I take this job after college, that's it that's my life. I think every day we wake up with the opportunity to make a decision that can change the course of our lives. The reason why people are scared to make changes is because of expectations. You're expected to do this, expected not to do that and you're expected to have a nice car. If you don't have these things you are a failure. I think a lot of times people expect that a job or that success is going to bring them some kind of fulfillment.”
The Key to Success:“You have to know that what you're doing is authentic and that it's something that you're passionate.”
On How To Choose What To Do With Your Life: “Ask yourself this question. If there's something that you know that you think about every day. But you think, "No, I could never do that." But there also a part of you that thinks, “I want to do this.” Imagine 30 years down the line and you didn't do it. How would you feel? When I asked myself that question it scared the shit out of me. I literally felt like vomiting. I was driving at the time I almost pulled over. I felt flushed. It was very moving. Ask yourself that question and if it doesn't scare the shit out of you then maybe this isn’t something you feel super passionate about.
The Reason Why Some People Are “Workaholics:” “Being a workaholic is a more socially acceptable form of addiction or obsession. It’s also a way for us to throw ourselves into something that helps us avoid other parts of ourselves that we don't want to confront.”
On the Importance of A Growth Mindset: “Don't ever think that you are special and that you don't have to evolve any more. That you don't have to continue to learn any more. You know, I tell people all the time if I'm the same person in five years you can slap me in the face. I never ever ever want to forget that i’m never done learning.”
Unhealthy Patterns To Keep An Eye Out: “If you have a certain coping mechanism that you tend to go to to escape your problems or avoid yourself in some kind of way, just be really aware of those patterns. When you become aware of these patterns then you can break them. I think that's a really hard expectation to put on people when we're in our 20s so it might take us time to figure it out.”
How He Thinks We Can #RESIST: “If you have a platform where you can make a change or if you're privileged enough to have a gift or or something that you can do to be part of change, you have to do it.
On A Moment In Life When Everything Changed :(On drinking) “I remember realizing there's something in this world that I just couldn’t control. I finally understood that there's something in this world that I just can't do, because if I do, it will be the death of me. That was actually the first time in my life where I was completely honest with myself and from that moment my life just began to change. I wouldn't have had the honor to work with all the amazing people that I work and continue to work with and me. But this didn’t happen until I was ready to accept that about myself. But it wasn't until that moment. It was almost like a rebirth. It was almost kind of like I opened my eyes and when I look back on my life no matter how long I live, that will be a defining moment.
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts. Search "The Currently Podcast" in your Apple "Podcast" app. Don’t forget to leave a review if you liked what you heard.
Photo: THTKDKRIS