Hey! You’ve got mail! This is letter number 5 of Love Letters from a Creative Chimera: a newsletter & microblog capturing things, people, and ideas that have made me fall absolutely in love with life over and over again. My name is XinYi and this podcast is where I read my letters for those who prefer to consume their content through audio rather than reading.

I feel really strongly about this particular topic and letter so, without any further delays…

dearest reader,

Your existence is important.

By being simply who you are without any further explanation or expectation, you validate someone else’s life.

This idea came to me when I saw a friend write about her personal dissatisfaction with her work. When compared to others, she didn’t feel as if she used her platform, voice, and art productively to spark conversations on social activism or rally change. And while I admired and fully supported her newfound aspiration for standing up, I also wanted her to know… she didn’t need to feel that her existing body of work (which consisted of warm paintings and tender photographs inspired and captured through her travels and unique cultural background) were meaningless by comparison.

Because they aren’t.

By simply being herself, exploring her interests, and creating joy, she is living proof that a person with any parallels to her story can live a beautiful life. And as someone who shares her narrative of an Asian upbringing, a passion for creating art, as well as a love for travel and cultural immersion, when I see her gifts to the world depicting any of these shared elements, it makes me feel connected to her (and, by extension, humanity) and deeply understood.

But even if our lives did not eclipse each other’s as perfectly, some part of your story would still resonate with mine (and vice versa)! Because there exists a universal empathy for trauma and strife, just as there exists a universal familiarity for feelings of love (whether it is for something — a hobby, a place, a culture, or an idea — or for someone — platonically or romantically).

This letter isn’t meant to discourage you from improving or developing yourself. Rather, if it is human nature to cycle between forgetting and remembering, this is your reminder:

Your existence validates someone else’s, and you are an inspiration.

love,

a very forgetful & chaotic creative chimera

ps. Yes, this letter was also supposed to double as a reminder to myself. :’)

The reason why I feel so strongly about this topic is because I feel that by simply being good to ourselves and taking care of and protecting our mental health, we naturally generate more good energy. And that good energy is infectious so if you’re happy, you’ll probably uplift those around you. And if they’re uplifted, the energy keeps being passed forward. Everything they say about being able to produce your best work when you’re filled with joy — I 100% believe in it and hence why I feel like the greatest charity we can provide to the world is self development and self improvement. 

If this resonates with you, please reach out on instagram @creative.chimera or visit my website at https://desktop.creative-chimera.com! Let’s keep in touch!