Do I Really Have to Choose? Balancing Creativity and the 9-to-5 Life

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of being a full-time creative—living completely off my art, my ideas, and the wild, colorful world inside my mind. That dream has never left me. It tugs at me in quiet moments, whispers to me during long commutes, and shouts when I’m surrounded by other creatives, soaking in their energy and passion.

But alongside that dream lives my logic.

The part of me that knows rent is due, bills don’t wait, and security means more now that I’m not just responsible for myself. So I’ve built a life that makes sense—I’ve climbed the corporate ladder, carved out a solid career in marketing, and after ten years, I’m confident in what I do. I’m good at it. I’m secure.

Still… it’s not always fulfilling.

There are days when I find myself sitting at my desk, wondering if I’m crazy for not just diving in—head first—into full-time artistry. I’ve played out every scenario (yes, I even ran it all by ChatGPT), weighing risk against reward. And still, I hesitate. Still, I wonder.

Then I go home—

Home to my roots, to my friends who create for a living, who breathe art and music and movement. Being around that kind of energy makes me want it more. It reignites something that sometimes dims under the weight of deliverables, deadlines, and team meetings.

But here’s the plot twist:

When I return to my structured, salaried life, I don’t hate it.

In fact, I kinda love it too.

What If I Need Both?

What if having a secure career and an artistic practice is not failure or indecision, but a kind of balance?

What if the contrast between the two worlds is what keeps me deeply grateful for each creative moment I’m given?

Maybe the hustle makes the art feel sweeter.

Maybe showing up to my nine-to-five gives me the structure that allows my creativity to run free when it’s time.

I won’t lie—I don’t get to be my artist-self every day.

I don’t always have the time or space to make something beautiful just for me.

But when I do… when I walk into a room as the artist, when I feel my imagination come alive, I feel it with my whole body.

I am grateful.

I am present.

I feel blessed from my head to my toes.

So maybe this season of straddling both worlds isn’t a detour.

Maybe it’s the training ground.

Maybe it’s the reminder that even if the full-time creative life is still the dream,

I’m already living a version of it—humble, steady, and full of gratitude.