wow I'm so so touched by all the comments on this video- I'm doing my best to reply to them but please know I'm reading them all! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and for listening to mine. I've been so surprised to read so many similar journeys/feelings which really helps me feel less alone- thank you ❤

I quit a 6 figure job to take a 70% pay cut to be an addictions counselor- I failed because I saw the harsh reality of the mental health industry and went back to corporate life. By taking that risk I lost my pension, financial security, and will now have to work longer in order to retire. I have regrets but at the same time I am proud of myself for taking the chance.

I did the same thing and I also failed, now I'm in a journey to find a job but I didn't have any luck yet. I can't say I became more creative, actually it got worse. I don't fell like a creative person and I don't feel the same joy as before. Art became toxic to me and rarely re the moments where I'm happy doing art. The one thing I'm grateful is that I also have a partner to help me with my plans and my family to support me when I need.

Most people do not succeed in pursuing their dreams because they just simply do not get started and put up obstacles and excuses as to why they cannot do it. Good for you taking the plunge and investing in yourself. Best of luck to you.

Dear Sofia, I feel this message is super powerful. Usually you only see fairytale stories on YT, and a real experience like yours, which I think fits with the majority of people has a lot of value. Mostly, I feel it has a very positive message, like nothing to regret :)! Cheers from another 34 year old pursuing art on the side ;)

I also quit to become a full time artist and I fortunately did manage to make it a full time job. The sad part is a see a lot of artists way more talented than I am not make it. There is so much luck involved on top of having to have talent. Being in the right place at the right time...things totally out a person's control. I was around 30 when that luck hit me. The longer you stick with it, the more chances you have of the luck portion kicking in, with the benefit of getting better each time you produce work. I also got an F in high school art and failed college art...twice (though I think that had more to do with my autism and the way I need to learn than anything else). It took my wife even longer, she did not make it as an artist full time until she was in her 40s, up until then she fell back on graphic design to pay the bills. It can be very disheartening but all it takes is for one moment to completely change your trajectory for the better. You are young and have a lot of talent, stick with it. You never fail until you either give up or come to an end.

I really needed this. Mid 30s and burned out with my corporate job and wanting to take a sabbatical, this has really given me some things to think about. Thank you for being so vulnerable and sharing your experience.

Thanks for telling us you failed. Love that honesty that 99% of youtubers hide.

New subscriber here! My name is also Sofia hehe but thank you for this. I am 28 and now looking for a full time job because I couldn’t make a living out of my art, and I started to feel like a failure sine every youtube video showcases a “i quit my job to become an artist and became rich” meanwhile i was struggling so much. Thank you for being real and opening up, it helped me a lot ❤

I quit 2 times and I’m in the process of trying one last time. From my experience, having not one or two, but 4+ sources of income BEFORE you make the move is extremely important. At least one of these sources CANNOT be related to your talent and must be 100% independent from a boss. The other 2/3 can be freelancing, or performing work as well as royalties. Investing in a financial (high interest or dividend) to grow over the years can help you if you can sustain yourself for a few years to prevent you from panicking if you fail. It will be your “safety net”. Avoid DEBT as much as possible. Learn to budget. Quitting your 9-5 is all about money management. You are talented, you already know you have worth. Now learn to earn money from it in MULTIPLE ways, and learn to manage that income.

I'm facing the same challenge: quit my 9-5 job during the pandemic to follow my dream of becoming a full time freelance illustrator PLUS moved abroad after that, so obviously I have no ideia what is like being financially stable anymore 🙃 I'm looking for a part-time job and I can't wait to pay my rent without having to sacrifice my mental health. I feel better knowing that I'm not the only one facing these struggles. Thanks for sharing you experience here ♥

I’ve turned 30 and returned to art school last year. Totally reckless but I’ve never been happier. I know I won’t regret this in the future.

I'm a professional artist that went full time after about 7 years of slow, planned growth, and then after the pandemic had to weather large losses in my life and "coast" in my career until I was able to really focus on making new work again. My income atrophied in that time and I'm only now trying to climb my way back up. I often felt like I failed and was angry that circumstances completely outside of my control uprooted all the work I had put in and the progress I had made. It was as if I was back at square one--I grieved that for a long time. Watching this video has been a good reminder that even though I lost a lot momentum over the past two years and it feels like I'm starting over, I'm not really. I still have all the experience I've accumulated and I'm a different, more capable person now than I was when I started. I'm more prepared than ever to get back on track if I can put the work in again. So, thank you for that! I also just wanted to say that I'm grateful that you acknowledged your financial privilege and the safety nets you had, and that you probably should have done more research ahead of time. I've seen so many artists just quit their full time job one day and go, "Alright, time to figure out how to make this work!" and then get mad when they don't suddenly have a full time income in 6 months. It's refreshing to hear from someone who dove in the deep end too soon and was able to reflect on what they could have done differently to set themselves up better. Because realistically, if you do it the safe way where you're still supporting yourself with a different job, it will take on average 5-10 years of dedicated effort to get to a place where your art can stand on its own--and even then, it needs to be supported by a lot of different skills that you've (hopefully) developed in the meantime. I'm so glad you got something out of it and had the opportunity to do this for yourself, and that it opened your mind to other avenues in life you hadn't considered before. That's so amazing, and I hope you enjoy your creative future!

Far too many people leave out the, "I have a partner who is financially supporting me," or "I'm a trust fund baby and will never have to work a day in my life." By leaving this out it creates a totally false and misleading picture. Thank you for being honest about the money part. I have a call scheduled this morning with a friend who is trying to make it with her art. I'm considering it and the numbers just don't pencil out. I don't have the savings to quit so I'm in the keep working and keep creating stage. Thank you for your insights on how to do this.

It's crazy to me that with 45.5K subscribers, you are still a "small creator" on KZfaq. Thank you for sharing though. It helped me to realize maybe the goal isn't to be a full-time artist but to at least have 2 years to focus solely on art & getting better. Saving up to make art for 2 years seems more reachable than trying to be a full-time artist soley with no other incomes.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It takes courage to decide to take the two years for your art and step outside the norms of society. There is nothing wrong with it though modern society often makes us feel that it is. You started a lot sooner than I on your art journey and I commend you for it. I did everything society tells you to do (ie, stable 9-5 job, retirement account, a mortgage) but life’s unexpected things still happen no matter how much I planned. I wish I had also made sure I also pursued a passion that created inner joy in life. Do those things sooner than later whenever you can. But now is better than never. And you did that for your life. And though I agree planning is always a good step in any decision making, I think it’s important to let the art journey be intuitive and leave room for exploration and organic growth which I think you did. Take it from someone who’s a big planner, but at times to a fault. I think it slowed my creative growth. I think planning for the big things is key, like you set a timetable, set aside a budget and funds and had a support system. I’m still learning as I go on my art journey. I’m much older than you so don’t worry about your age. Just have the courage you’ve shown to keep pursing your passion in a fulfilling and productive way if you want it to be a career. You have time. It’s better than never starting at all. Debbie Millman is quoted, “I think it is actually more important to have courage [than confidence] because you tend to be more afraid to do things that you’ve never done before and thru which you have no previous experience of success.” Excuse me for rambling so long. I wish someone told me the same a lot sooner in life. I just wanted to applaud you for your courage. 👏 It was very encouraging to hear your experience. Best to you 😊

Thank you for sharing your experience! I’m 35 and pursuing art as a hobby for the moment, but I hope to make the switch in a few years and leave my 9-5. I’m the sole bill payer, so I need to be a bit more careful/have a bigger buffer with savings before I can take the plunge. I’m trying to remind myself to enjoy the journey and focus on improving my skills, rather than getting myself down about not being able to make the switch now. We’re all on on our own path and your commentary on societal expectations is something that really resonated with me. Good luck!

🌺😂 I'm literally going through you're experience. Although I had a few reasons for leaving my last job, but I'm just doing Art, living on my savings and now I feel I need to get a job again to support myself. I live with someone but we both pay the bills. However, I feel good that I took this time to just focus on my Art Business. I've learnt what direction I want to go in and I'm glad I did it 😊

Thank you for talking about this so honestly. I'm sure I'm not your usual demographic, but there is a lot of parallel between my story and yours: I also quit my job at the end of 2021 and pursued art full time. I also failed and burned through most of my savings. I also learned a lot I am significantly older than you (late 40s) and am taking what I've learned to point me in a direction where I can re-focus and try again, and if I can see a way for this to pan out at my age, I know you'll find your path at your age.

Thanks for sharing. I couldn't help but find so many similarities between your story and my journey. Feeling guilty for not producing enough art (even though that is what you'd think the main part of the work would be), not being productive enough (even though it felt like I was always doing something), and feeling overwhelmed. I'll be 36 in March, watched all my friends hit certain milestones and now I'm considering getting a full-time job again. Like you said, I have no idea how I thought I would be able to make a living off of my art right away, haha. I started painting pet portraits during the lockdown period, built a website, social channels, Etsy, sold at markets, etc... But at the end of the day it's a marathon and not a sprint and a small creative business takes time. Some more than others. Watching your video helped me take the thought of failure out of my mind.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Been an artist (comic book artist) for almost 20 years. I tried a 9-5 job when I was young, and could only endure it for 2 days. I thought that wasn't for me and started working in the comics industry. And that's it. Most of my financial struggles were because of my parents' mortgage and their hospital bills. Now I'm considering getting a "real job" because I'm pretty tired of dealing with tragedy after tragedy alone. That's an inverted experience here.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I'm also in my 30s and want to be a full time artist. For me, it's especially difficult to not compare myself to younger artists. Here's to hoping that everyone here accomplishes their goals ❤

I am the total opposite I went from a contract concept artist to a full time government worker. I didn't feel like I failed but I also feel that the career choice wasn't financially stable. Now that I have secure this current job, there may be a chance I will freelance on the side. Love the message of the video and quite inspiring. Kudos to you.

What I really appreciate about this story is how you put the effort into making your dreams come true. Even if it didn't happen right now, it doesn't mean it won't. I have tried many versions of following my art passions and have failed in many ways at this. But it all comes back to picking yourself back up and rethinking how to get where you want to go. Unsolicited advice for any other artist out there is if you are going to quit your job and go into your art full time, first create a full business plan (just so you have a strong direction with ideas of how to source revenue,) and second make sure you have a healthy emergency fund to fall back on if things take a long time to pick up.. because in most cases they do take a lot of time. With this emergency fund, it also helps to be pretty aware of how much your monthly cost of living is so you can adjust your emergency fund to be around 6 months of savings. And if you can't do those things, I would recommend at least doing some kind of part-time work to keep yourself afloat - because I have crashed my bank account down to almost nothing multiple times when being too impulsive with my dreams and not being realistic about how much time things take

It’s interesting because I think if you have the temperament to work a full time job, most people will be more financially stable that way. But a lot of artists simply can’t do that. We do this because we’re artistically talented, yes, but also because, “just working a job” isn’t a fit for us for whatever reason.

So many people were inspired to turn their passions and hobbies and career dreams into full time jobs during the pandemic. It was like an epiphany but it's so risky. I did my dream career as a hobby for over 20 years before taking the plunge and since then have always run it on the side of having either a full time job, or in more recent years, side hustles that top up the income. I always made sure I had a ton of back up funds because income is insanely unpredictable especially in the creative industries. It just doesn't make enough at our level. I don't even think I would want my business to be my full time income. I never want it to become a chore or an obligation that would take away the joy I get from doing it. I like the variety I currently get from doing multiple small jobs and side hustles and the day to day freedom that gives me. The light bulb moment is when you get to certain age and you stop caring about career progression and start to enjoy what you do, and what you have already, rather than always reaching ahead. It took me years to reach it but the contentment I now have is priceless.

Thank you for talking about your experience so openly. I can see myself in some of the things you mention. I turned thirty last year which was when I took a couple of months off after finishing my PhD because I was so exhausted. The "two months" are still going and during this time I got back into making art, something I haven't done since early high school. I've also had time to dedicate to my other hobbies and to visit my family for an entire month, something I haven't been able to since I've moved away. But last year I also had to move countries because my partner got a job abroad, so I ended up in a place where neither of us speaks the language, with no real clue what to do but with constant stress and anxiety about my finances and with worry that I'm not doing enough and not being productive, and that I must find a paying job. Except now the prospect of going back to the kind of work that I left last year is incredibly daunting and off-putting... So even if it doesn't change my situation, it's nice to hear that I'm not alone in my struggles.

Thank you for making this video. I've recently experienced something similar, having quit my job to invest in my writing career. I don't regret it at all because I grew so much as a writer (and also had the extra family time)! But, I never ended up making enough to count as a full or even traditional part-time income. I also had to go back into the workforce. I've been struggling a bit over the past year because I did see it as "failure", but I've come to realize that just because my monetary goals weren't achieved doesn't mean the time was wasted. Every moment was valuable and I'm incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to, as you said, invest in my creativity. This video feels like an affirmation of that. 💜

I understand you so much! This is exactly what I’ve come through , trying to be an artist too. And this feeling when everybody has families, babies, savings, and so on… while, I am still just a student who is trying to be an artist is so familiar. And of course, some kind of failure always followed my step. And judging people also scared me. I thought I wasn’t going enough. And it took me 2 years to end up with it

Thank you for sharing this journey with all the honesty. I do recognise myself quite a lot, as turning 29 I took a sabbatical to pursue my dream of travelling. My husband came along, but then Covid hit, and instead of 1 year; it turned into three ... I do totally get the stress finances can put on you even though you chose this :) Anyhow ... we ended coming back to a pretty similar career, but we are very different persons now; a stronger couple and so proud we followed our dreams. And it is while travelling that I discovered my passion for art and started drawing and painting :)

I can relate to your experience. I quit my job by the end of 22 and started my art project on a full time in 2023. It was the happiest year in my life, as I finally took the leap to enable myself thinking that I was worth it, despite all the odds. By February 24 I had to start working a full time job again, as my savings were running out, but I have a totally different perspective than two years ago: I succeeded into sowing the seeds of my own creativity, and they are still blooming today. Had I not taken a one-year break, I would not be able to keep up drawing/writing after work. But this sabbatical year, as you call it, (although it is just a non-paid year of work as you were practising to make a living,),was enough to make me confident in my art skills and to build up good habits that will help me, I hope, to make my art project come to life, even if it comes later than what I initially planned. I hope you won’t see your experience as a failure. Having a full-time job and practising art on your free time also shows that you have a lot of potential and a high capacity to adapt to situations. This is basically called intelligence. Anyways, I wish you the best in your art path, may it bring you to develop a full-time art career you dream about!

I've just been through a similar road to you, where I tried a new path I thought I wanted to go down for the past 2 years, and am about to end it as I start my new job next week. Ultimately the obstacles and the return I'd get from continuining down that path weren't worth sticking to it, but I got to really spend time exploring it and learned a lot about myself through the process. I'm really grateful to my partner who allowed me to explore things and supported me during this time, which as you said and I agree that we're very lucky to have that support network, but it's out of my system now and I won't be pondering on the what-ifs anymore. It's comforting to me to know others who have had similar struggles during the time (baby showers/marriages/buying houses I totally get that!) and I hope that those who are wanting to but yet to try exploring something, have the courage to maybe even take some time in their spare time to try something new after listening to this. Thank you for sharing your experience!

YES. I have a friend who saved and did a phd in a sabbatical break. I’d love to save and do some language study. Normalising investing in things other than kids and things society prefers is so important! Great video :)

This makes me feel seen! I'm not sure what is next for me as I apply for jobs, but knowing that going back to a job isn't an indictment of my skills or personality, but a practicality - that makes it easier to bear. I'm glad you were able to find a job you love!

Thank you for sharing your story! I'm not an artist, but I'm also on a sabatical. Due to numerous reasons (mainly burnout) I decided to move out of my family house, to live alone for six months while taking video production classes. I graduated during the pandemic and the job market was relatively scarce so I had a couple unfulfilling jobs. Good thing was that I was able to save enough to take the plunge and go on this short break from the real world and be a student again. I see all my peers having careers, buying houses, having families, and although it's not what I want I envy them because they seem to go after what they want or check imaginary societal boxes, while I'm still trying to get to know myself and what I want to do. Two months in, I'm very nervous about my finances and whether I made the right decision, but I've never been more at peace.

thank you so much for sharing, i am going through that full time artist phase too and it helped me to not see "failure" and taking back a full time job as dramatic as i made it be in my head. It was really pleasing to see you paint :D

Thank you so much for posting this! I'm commenting from my empty youtube account because I'm in almost the exact same place you are haha, I just quit my job almost 2 months ago and am concentrating full-time on my art. It was really helpful and validating to me to hear your honest story of where you are and the wonderful things you learned about yourself and were able to do with your life after having these experiences. I feel like it's so common to hear from people who are already "very successful" and/or have come from a full career in art in some form that started back in their school days. Though their stories are beautiful and should be told, heard, and valued, I can't relate and it made me feel a bit alone and isolated in my stage of life. Hearing your reflections on your experience was refreshing in that way, and I really appreciate you having the courage to be vulnerable and honest about your path.

Man... everything you've recounted, I've been going through since the start of the year. It was literally just yesterday that I panicked last over my age and lack of structure, somehow mistaking all of that as being directionless in life (or at least be perceived that way.) Thank you so much for sharing what you did and the way that you have! It means a lot.

I'm 32 and taking a time off to perceive my dream to write a book. Thank you for a lovely video. I feel very similar as you described! Especially about feeling guilty of not being productive enough

love your calm voice in the background. and i love how real you are with this story. it’s so interesting to learn about this because i love to draw but i haven’t been pursuing it seriously (yet). but yeah this is so insightful

Thank you so much for sharing! The story itself was really encouraging but I also just love the way you communicate through both your art and words. There's something so sweet and endearing about the way reflect back on how far you've come :)) I've only just started painting recently and honestly it can be a little disheartening at times because it feels like a hobby that everyone picked up when they were really young and have years of experience already but I really love how there are more and more artists touching on the harder parts of their journey and sharing how they got through it! I am so excited to see how far I can go too!

Thanks for sharing this is really relatable. Failing doesn't mean that it's over. You still have the opportunity to do it all again

This definitely helped me feel less alone. I am a 45 y/o that just started Art school and have no clue what I’m doing. LOL! Currently on my 6 month sabbatical from my healthcare profession and I am really questioning my decisions. 😂 I know it will all work out at the end of things but the uncertainty is overwhelming at times. Anyhow TYFS! ❣️✨

I love, love, love that you did this. I feel like what you did is a great life hack. Using your savings to basically homeschool yourself in art is such a good idea. I kind of did the same except I went from a part time job in another field while homeschooling my kids, to quitting that part time job (I have a partner willing to support me) to focus on getting better at my art and growing my youtube channel. It’s scary but I’m also glad to have invested in yourself this way. I’m glad to hear you had success using your new skills on my resume. That makes me think if this doesn’t work out I haven’t wasted my time. Love the painting btw.

THANK YOU Sofia! Not only for the story of your journey but the portions (like the shading & defining parts of the face) you focused on showing of your self-portrait. This was SO VERY helpful to see!!! I will re-watch this particular video MANY times.

Appreciated you sharing about your art journey. Strategy is often necessary! I am glad you managed to find a full time job again and are exploring art on the side. Best of luck!

It's so cool to hear a different kind of story that actually shares the difficulties and downs in a taken path in life. I love how you managed to see the positive sides of the hardships, as lessons and investmints. I wish you get to your goals and acheive all you want🙏 Keep up the good work💪❤️

Awesome video. ...I'm going thru what you went thru. Thank YOU for your perspective on the struggles and gains you went thru.😊

This was an extremely helpful and encouraging watch! As someone who works fulltime (doing something I love but not creative) and doing art, It's nice to see different routes and options people took. Thanks for your wisdom!

Thank you for being so honest I love knowing what you’re thinking along your whole journey! I thought I was alone when it came to over thinking about all the small steps and also counting the bits of money along the way just adds to that stress and guilt of perusing something they not a lot of people understand. Currently trying to work up the courage to get on tik tok maybe KZfaq. I only just recently made a Facebook page. Social media is a lot more when you already have to do the math of your business as well as make everything. I hope you and any other artist reading this achieves all their business goals as well as any other goals they have towards their passion✨💕 I believe in you!!!!!

I am so proud of you for sharing your journey in such an honest and authentic way. You have always been an inspiration, a leader, and a role model. I love and respect you so much! Wishing you happiness and success in this next chapter of your life ❤

I just would liked to thank present-time you for sharing your experience and thoughts. And I thank two-years-ago you for choosing this path, because each of your video gives me such joy 😊. Thank you and see you in your future videos ❤

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m in my thirties as well, soon to be 33 and I’ve considered myself an artist all my life but I have never attempted to make a career of painting traditionally (I painted faces for a living for over a decade as a professional make up artist) and I’ve always wanted to re-explore my artistry with traditional painting and even digital too. Now due to some major life changes I never planned or anticipated (an intense car accident) it’s brought me to a time and place I can explore painting again and hopefully I can grow as an artist in new ways 😊 I just acquired some student grade and professional grade gouache to play with and paint again ✨ Hearing your story I resonated with wanting to create a life and work life you enjoy and have something to look forward too. I’ve been in positions in the past where my work was more miserable than enjoyable and then nearly running through my savings and having to take on work again whilst making my art career the part time gig. But as you shared, there’s so much one can learn about themselves along these journeys that life takes us on and its a tremendous feeling knowing you tried your best and accepting that it’s okay to make adjustments along the way; sacrificing short term gratifications in the pursuit of life long enjoyment and happiness. It’s all a process with baby steps and leaps of faith 🥰 I’m sending you lots of love and good vibes! May you find pockets of peace and joy along the way to becoming the artist you’ve always imagined being! I know you can do it!! Ps. I love your monochromatic paintings and this self portrait you painted is beautiful! The gold outline was a lovely choice too 😍✨

Thank you so much for your vulnerability and transparency in sharing your experience! You have such a lovely and positive outlook on balancing life needs with pursuing your passion and dreams in art! You brought up so many great and relatable points about being in your early 30s and going for it. Your self portrait is gorgeous too, love the monochromatic work! Wishing you all the success and joy in your art journey 💙🩵🤍

I am in this exact situation right now and currently looking for work. Thank you for this video and for allowing me to realize the value of the extended time that I devoted to my art. I really needed to hear this.

Thanks for opening up about your experience! I'm at a similar stage and your story has definitely given me food for thought. It's not easy to navigate societal expectations and stay true to yourself. My great respect to you for doing just that. Hitting that subscribe button :)

You should be proud of yourself, at least you tried and that takes courage. Thanks for your honesty 👍❤

Thank you for sharing your story! Also your portrait turned out beautifully, love the blue and gold

Lovely portrait and so nice to see your process! Here’s to your success in whatever you focus on! ❤

Hey Sofia. I did the same. And even worse. I wasted my savings and on top of that got 15 000 euro debt. BUT. 6 months ago managed to monetize my creative efforts and the income now that i make covers my rent at a decent/modern studio and partially the debt payment. I do for my pleasure door-dash with bicycle few days a week and that covers the rest and i got enough left for food and small expenditures. Everything is growing, my income and my plans, except my debt, - it's getting smaller and smaller. It's a hell of a ride and. Mix creativity with quality. People. Love. And. Follow. Quality. Nowadays i do even less than when i started 6 months ago and get better results because i focus more on the quality and creativity. And client circle knows, that it takes longer, - but it's gonna be worth it.

Thank you sharing your experience and being vulnerable? As someone who is trapped in a job, I really admire going down that path, no matter the outcome. Hopefully, it will inspire others to do the same!

It's so interesting to hear how the process went for you and I really appreciate you opening up ❤ I'm in a similar boat but not having as much success on social media and questioning every day whether I'm doing the right thing 😭

I needed this video today, and it gave me so much positive energy. I love that you shared how you started your journey. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing and well done for investing in yourself - you’re clearly brave and driven - keep going, it’s all about the journey 💫

I'm a thirtiesh lawyer. Came from the top school in my country (it's a developing country in Asia) and worked in a top law firm. Future is set practically. Then I quit the law firm before I turned thirty (I became a lawyer quite young) and started learning how to write fantasy novels and digital art. Compared to you, I have no background whatsoever in drawing and writing, but I just thought there was more to life than making money. Since the cost of living is low, I could stretch my money saved to 3 years. I stretched it even more by going to a remote countryside since the only thing I needed was the internet. Made a small amount from writing. Ended up investing in a small farm even though I didn't plan it before. I went from wearing suits to writing, drawing, and farming. Writing is earning small. Farming is starting to break even. Drawing is still learning basics. Now, I do some side lawyering for small cases, not for money but for chickens or renting a tractor and so on. Thanks for sharing your journey.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, you have no idea how much I needed to hear this. I'll be in my thirties in a few years and my working history has been a complete catastrophe after i had my master’s degree... after a few years of working I ended up losing my job due to health reasons, but honestly it was the best thing that could have happened I was absolutely miserable. I applied for other jobs for over a year without much success, and now I finally decided that 2024 would be the year where I pursue an art career, which is what I have always wanted to do. I'm very stressed about it, like you said, not being good enough, not being productive enough, money, etc. I'm also realistic I know I am probably not going to make enough money to support myself after just a year and i often I keep wondering why I am even doing this if I won't be ''productive' enough'. But your experience and perspective has helped me tremendously, it is still worth a shot!!!! Like you said, I am investing in myself, growing as an artist but also on my wellbeing. Even if I can't fully make a living with my art after a year or two, it is still worth it and it doesn't mean i can't keep pursuing art later on even if i end up working full time/part time again. Thank you so much, you have motivated me to continue!!!

Thank you for your candidness and transparency about your journey. It is real, it is imperfect, but it is inspiring.

Subbed from the title alone. Haven't even watched yet, but you have my respect. Daunting as it was, at least you had the courage to step into the collesium! Awesome!

That happened to me. I started working for myself for six months and ran out of all my money and had to get a job. My partner was able to support us for three of those months nearly exclusively.

This was incredibly interesting, thank you so much for sharing. I hope you find more time for KZfaq videos because I thoroughly enjoy yours (the ones where you explain what you're doing as you paint are awesome).

Hi there! I just wanted to say that I really appreciated you sharing this experience. It's hard to go all in on a creative venture and not enough people talk about the "failures". For me, this video is making art feel more approachable again. So thank you😊

I really like your honesty in this topic. Making an art career work is very hard and takes a long time. I can relate to this so much, because I also left my job 8 months ago without too much planning. Your video helped me to realize that I need to seriously start planning in more details. Thank you for sharing your experience. 😊

Mad respect for giving this ago. Thanks for sharing your story.

Thank you so much for sharing your story - it's such a brave leap. Not sure how I stumbled on this video but I'm doing something eerily similar now - I had terrible health issues in 2021/22 which led me to find a new job, which was so tedious and draining that I quit very quickly and now I'm on a 'gap year' (I call it that too) trying to set myself up doing something more creative. My plan is also quite thin and its only funded by savings and there isnt a fallback and my rent is enormous --- the stress can get intense if you lose faith momentarily, even though 0 isnt for a couple of years but.... it's so much more fulfilling. Meeting more interesting and similar people who respect your work gets intoxicating pretty quickly - and the work itself has an effect too. Just wanted to say thanks for sharing this because your thinking was so similar and I'm glad it sort of worked out for you. And anyone else thinking about doing this: she's right, have a concrete plan if possible.

I totally relate with you, thank you so much for sharing your experience. 💓 Loved your self portrait 😍

I saw the title and I was oooh gotta click on that! This was inspiring :D I am 36 and I’ve been living by myself for almost 3 years now. Never happened before, it was either parents or partner. I am going through an art journey right now where I do it seriously for the 2nd time in my life. But I did not take the big leap and quit my job so it’s a big difference lol! I am lucky to like my job even if it’s not a dream job. Also I am putting money aside for whatever (don’t want to own a house I really don’t know what to do with that lol) so who knows what might happen? It’s a very cool story. Thank you and kudos for sharing this! I thought “what a badass person” lol

I’m about to turn 24 in a few months and everything you said about societal pressure while being an artist really resonated. One important thing I’ve been learning over the past few years is that there’s nothing wrong with our paths looking different. I’m learning to value money less and my time, my art, and other people infinitely more.

I love how well you reflected on this and inspired me

I'm 29 and work a creative corporate job. But i have been on the fence thinking whether i'd like to quit my job and go full time freelance. I'm trying to just coast and take my time for now. The KZfaq algorithm is definitely sinister especially showing all the late teens/early 20s artists who suddenly make it and become rich. I'm liking that more of these more realistic types of videos are popping up now of people in my age range on like, real journeys. Hoping the best for you and all my fellow late 20s and 30s and beyond who are still on our wonderful art journeys!

I’m doing the same thing. Thank you for sharing your story. I’m experiencing the same emotions so I totally get where you’re coming from.

That's incredibly brave of you to share your learning experience here. I also quit my job to pursue art. In fact it only happened last december so I am quite new to all of this. Hearing about your experience makes me optimistic about the future, be it if I do well or not. All the best! ❤

Thank you for this. I am in my early 30's and I'm currently rediscovering myself as an artist after almost a decade of being in a creative rut. I'm trying to find balance between my full time job and creating art on the side. This gives me hope that it is not too late to establish my own creative style and to maybe one day have a little side business. Even if that never happens, I still find joy in simply creating!

Sabbatical year would be awesome, I did that once but need another year. I’ve saved up again and am tempted to. That’s awesome how it helped you on your job search!

I can totally relate to your story. And also, love love love your art ❤

Hey, I’m a college freshman. Studying for a business degree and looking to pursue art on the side in the future. Thanks for being vulnerable and chill about everything. Your insight is helpful as I try to integrate art business in my life.

Listening to your insight on your life decisions is so valuable! thanks for sharing and letting us watch your process 🤩🤩🤩🤩

Such a cute video! Your voice is so comforting and your message as well. Totally relating to the last bit - as I just turned 30, many of my acquaintances have started asking the oh so predictable questions of when are you starting a family, so and so already has a house etc. etc. It gets really hard to feel good about pursuing any type of art career! Keep going strong, I'm definitely subscribing!

This is so inspiring to me because I quit teaching to pursue art and I feel like I’m failing 3 months in. Now I just think I need to be a bit more patient.

That’s a beautiful portrait, and I’m glad you had such a life altering journey.

Really good to hear from all sides of this. Thank you :)

Thank you for sharing this! For anyone else out there, if you have the opportunity, and have been working for a while, I highly recommend taking some time off if you're feeling kind of blah about work and where you are in life. I did the same thing a couple of years ago myself, having been working for 20 years. It's really given me a renewed energy and confidence in myself. I also quit to try to make it on my own (though not as an artist). I'm making a tiny amount each month, but it's growing. It's definitely not the same as having a regular job, but it's made me realize I have more control over my life than I thought and that there are tons of opportunities out there to shape your life (don't just do the easy thing), but that it takes a little bravery and confidence in yourself to do it. It's totally worth it, but it's not easy, either!

Your video felt like I was listening to myself. 😂 I quit my full-time job as team leader in August 2021. I also wanted to take a sabbatical year and wanted to focus on my art career but didn't really have a business plan. I wanted to recover. I also lived from savings just earned around 1,2k per year at that time as artist. In the end 1 year and 2 months. However I decided to work in part-time office job so my art career can be 50% of my time in the week. I quit that new job after 6 months. Took month off and now I am working in a new part-time job for almost a year now. I learned so much from that year and I feel like since I work in two jobs 50/50 my at career got a boost. I guess in my sabbatical time I was too stressed to succeed as artist and that is why it kind of failed. Now I am chill. I earn enough money but have still plenty time to paint and do all the art business stuff. It is the perfect combination for me now. It feels good to see people have almost the same journey as myself. ❤

Thank you for sharing your experiences! I often hear of full time artists quitting their day job (with or without a plan) and making it work. But I know many skilled artists who have a much longer road, who aren't "big" enough to be noticed yet, and I realize it was very much a type of statistical bias. It's never as easy as "work hard" and "keep going". You're also such a fast learner! Your skill is amazing!

Thank you so much!! This is do refreshing to hear and I feel encouraged and inspired. Your artwork is beautiful and really authentic! I recently explored my first monochromatic portrait in orange ❤ I love your use of value and line. Really awesome

Excited that you are wanting to post more art videos, find them so useful and relaxing

You are not alone..I'm in the same path too ❤ Quit my job 2 years ago to start a fashion label which didn't go well. I'm 33 years old this year, experiencing a midlife crisis with no money. 😮‍💨 But I don't regret my decision.

SO SO SOOO helpful! Thank you so much!!

Thank you for this 🙏 I went very similar journey about the same time, only being 10 years older, and in photography. Currently back to job search.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I truly appreciate the reality of your artistic journey, very similar to anything else we are passionate about and work hard to achieve. All the best.

This was such an interesting video, so cool to hear about how taking that time off from work helped you grow as a creative! Subscribed :)