Alternate Perceptions Magazine, June 2025
You Are A Work of Art
By Stan Prachniak
Who you are right now is not merely a compilation of your achievements or your failures in life. You are a creation who has been formed by the events and experiences of your unique life. From the day you were born until now, you have been evolving. And the masterpiece that is you will not be complete until your time on this earth is over.
Let’s explore this idea a bit further. Consider your life as if it is a painting. You entered this life as a “blank canvas” and have become who you are today through the countless “brush strokes” of life. Each experience you have had, your triumphs, tragedies, the people you have known, and everything in between has played a role in painting the masterpiece that is you. Some of these things have had a profound effect on your life and may have even completely altered who you once were. While other things may have been so minor that you didn’t even the notice the impact they had on you. It is important to understand that everything that has happened in your life has influenced who you are right now. Remember, you are not a compilation of your achievements or failures. You are a creation made possible through ALL of the things you have experienced in your life.
Things that you cannot control will happen, but you control how you act and what you do in those situations. Inevitably, an unexpected event will occur. In the example of a painting, this could be something like only having a certain color or colors to paint with. In situations like this, you just have to remember that you can still paint. It may not be exactly what you were expecting but you can adapt and evolve, even in unexpected and challenging situations. You hold the paintbrush, you control the strokes, and you decide what to paint. Don’t stop painting. Keep working and evolving to create the best version of you that you can.
Life presents you with countless opportunities to continue your masterpiece. Sometimes these opportunities are a welcome surprise, but sometimes they are unexpected challenges that you must overcome. In either instance, you choose how your life and who you are will be affected.
Freedom To Change offers a way for you to explore ways to create the masterpiece that is you by assessing everyday situations and choosing to create a path in life that supports the growth to the best version of you. For more information on the Freedom To Change materials, visit www.freedom2change.org.
