In this 36th Year

©Jaimee Todd 2014

Another year, another birthday, another notch on the belt of life. This past week I celebrated my 36th birthday and in many ways, I’m just now beginning to feel like a grown-up…sort of.

A few additional gray hairs aside, the great thing about getting older is how comfortable you feel in your own skin. You don’t give a damn about what others think about you and it becomes easier to speak your own personal truths without worrying about whether they’ll be questioned.

This is especially true as an artist. It has taken me a while, but I finally can refer to myself as one without the need to prop up my day-job as a way of validating who I am. It seems to be rubbing off because just the other day, one of my friends was surprised to find out that I was also a lawyer . She identified me as an artist first and foremost. Another friend of mine always introduces me as an artist when we are out together.

It took me a while to get over the guilt, especially since I didn't have a degree from an art school. For some reason, I thought I wasn't allowed to confer that title upon myself but now I realize that line of thinking is absurd.

We live in a culture that defines one's identity by what they do for a living. I think that's too limiting and it always makes me happy to see people bucking that tradition and forging their own way.

And with all that said, I think I'm going to enjoy this year ahead.