You are an artist and you need a canvas

Four years ago, I spent $12 to register www.aswathkrishnan.com and then spent a few days on and off wrestling with Blogger to create a free but presentable blog. And here we are now - reading the second sentence of my 150th blog post! 

Creating this place to write and developing the practice of writing are among the most significant things I have done for myself.  It has given me the space and the reason to reflect, think, consolidate, distill, and record my experiences, thoughts, and insights. It has been a consistent source of clarity, equanimity, and solitude in an increasingly noisy and complicated world. It has reached tens of thousands of readers, some of whom have reached out and shared satisfying notes of thanks and appreciation. It has also sparked interesting conversations and connections, and even helped me land jobs. 

But above all, it has given me my own canvas. 

Unlike the canvas at a job, this is a place that I can always call my own. A place where I have the freedom to create and play. A place where I can take risks, grow, and explore my potential without limits. A place where I can look at my work, enjoy, and invite others too. 

A place where I can lose myself in a joyful state of flow. 

We are all creators and artists. And art, in any form, is how we ultimately achieve flow and joy. For my wife, our house is a canvas for projects and decorations. For two of my developer friends, their personal apps are their canvas. For one of my entrepreneurial friends, his business is his canvas. For an athletic colleague, his body is his canvas. If you give yourself the gift of a canvas, whether a blog, a business, or any other creative outlet, you too will reflect on it in a few years as the most important thing you have done for yourself.