Have you ever paused and reflected on your life experiences? Have you considered how each experience contributed to where and who you are today, like puzzle pieces?
Good or Bad, experiences help define you and can be applied to how you see the world and what you decide to be. Our life is like evolving pointillism artwork… when you look closely it can be hard to see the full picture… just a bunch of dots, but the dots start to take form and when you step back and look at the collective dots, you start to see an image. While it may not be a final image, it is evolving.
Each of our lives reflects a pointillism artwork puzzle, with so many pieces and dots contributing to the grand picture of our life, our contribution to the world… our masterpiece of art. The world is full of nested images, puzzles inside puzzles. Each puzzle serves a purpose and when embedded, our puzzle contributes to the grand puzzle image.
Without the puzzle box cover, it can be hard to envisage the picture and fit all the pieces together. Without a vision, it is easy to get lost or discouraged. When working on a puzzle there are many strategies one can use … such as grouping edge pieces and creating the edge frame first… then grouping similar colors and finding those colors and shapes that fit together. The same is true in life. We have to look for themes and find ways to connect the dots.
When we are young, we envision our life… possibly in a specific industry or career. Throughout our lives, we gain many experiences and learn things that can contribute to our original vision or alter our paths. I think back to the friends, family, and coworkers I have spent time with; the vacations I have taken and places I have traveled; the social, professional, and elected positions I have held; and the topics I studied and learned about. I recall the plans and goals I set out to achieve and whether I accomplished or modified them along the way… I include even the ones that didn’t turn out as I expected or hoped. These experiences and learnings can alter our course in a multitude of ways, positively or negatively. At first, we may not make the connections between our experiences, knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities. We may not see how all these dots are connected and contribute to the larger image. Maybe we didn’t take the time to see how our natural talents became our strengths, how our experiences and learning helped us evolve into a beautiful masterpiece that is uniquely our own.
I always had a vision… even when I was four, I knew what I wanted to be. The path taken was not exactly what I thought it would be, and that is okay. I still got there and when I look back at the pointillism artwork I have been creating, I love seeing all the intricate dots that have contributed to who I am and where I am today. I enjoy imagining how beautiful the extensive pointillism artwork of my life will become and envisioning the positive impact on the world.
I encourage you to take time to reflect on your past. Envision your future, embrace opportunities, and create your pointillism masterpiece.