Is it natural to wonder what life would have been like had you chosen a different path? Is it common? We asked many artists and creatives from all over the country if they’ve ever wondered about whether they should have pursued a more standard career path to see what we could learn from their stories.

Hannah Brown

To be completely honest– I never think for one second about what it’s like to have a regular job. Being an artist and creative is who I am—it’s not just what I do. The freedom to tell stories through my lens, to capture moments that resonate, and to constantly push the boundaries of creativity is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. The idea of a ‘regular job’ has never crossed my mind because this isn’t just a career; it’s my passion and my purpose. Read more>>

Jennifer Jean Anderson

This question really hits home as my husband and I are trying to purchase our first home. I’ve been self-employed for the last decade of my life, and that’s been great because it’s allowed me the flexibility to pursue projects when I want to, and it’s also allowed me to earn money doing creative things. Read more>>

Jenna/Michael English/Armstrong

Michael is best at answering this question. I (Jenna) have always worked in some capacity in music. We both still have “regular” part time jobs outside of our music even now, but there have been seasons of life when I have been full time music, and I began booking gigs as soon as I graduated high school at 17. Michael, however, went to school and got his medical degree and was a doctor. He stepped away from it for various reasons years ago and focused much more on music. Read more>>

Alexis Mendoza

The question of happiness—whether as an artist, curator, or someone outside the chaos of creativity—is one I wrestle with often. There are days when the weight of it all makes me fantasize about the simplicity of a “regular job.” A life where my work stays at the office, where my income doesn’t depend on the whims of grants or gallery sales, where I’m not constantly dissecting the world for meaning or fuel for the next project. Read more>>

Chris Krupinski

I am an artist and have always been. I could not see my life without art. I see other people in careers that are much more financially rewarding and have imagined myself pursuing a different avenue. But, I really can’t. Art is who I am. When I look around me I see everything with creative eyes. It makes the world so much more beautiful. I believe that an artist has something that lies much deeper than just a career. I can truly say that I am thankful every day that I am an artist. Read more>>

Zac Brewington

I am measurably happier as an artist and creative. Prior to working as a tattoo artist, I had several opportunities to work a ‘regular job’, but ultimately they never made me feel fulfilled with the work I did. My first job out of college was a creative job in a corporate company. Even though I was working creatively, I was restricted by company guidelines and expectations. The work never led to work I could be truly happy with, so even in that kind of creative regular job I wasn’t as happy as I am tattooing. I work with other artists and am surrounded by inspiration and talent, it’s an atmosphere conducive to creativity and art. The work is celebrated and appreciated. It also doesn’t hurt that I have more control of my own scheduling and what I get paid. Read more>>

Ana

I can’t explain what it is about painting. I grew up drawing, and have tried out so many different materials over the years, but painting is what I love. Maybe it’s because I have a mind that never rests, except while painting, when my mind is clear. I achieve some sort of Zen. Read more>>

Mallory Madeya

Yes I’m happy I’ve had a career as a hairdresser going on 18 years now. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to have a Monday-Friday 9-5 job mainly for the steady paycheck and all the benefits that come with it. I often wonder if I would be happier , richer and be able to provide more than I am now. As a hairdresser the more you work the more money you can make. This means my nights weekends mornings afternoons all the above can be consumed by work and I can miss out on a lot of life events . I think us as hairdressers are some of the most hardworking people out there. Read more>>

Danielle Kelly

Am I happier as an artist versus having a “regular job”? Without a doubt, all I want to do is be an artist. Music, performance, and creative expression are at the core of who I am. But the reality is, being an artist is financially prohibitive, and I have to maintain a “real job” to support my craft. I’m incredibly lucky that my day job—hosting a live music show on public radio—is at least adjacent to my passions. It keeps me immersed in music, performance, and the arts, which makes the compromise easier. I also get to dabble in acting, modeling, and event production, and I perform locally as a singer whenever I can. Read more>>

Faith Alpher

I am definitely happiest when I’m creating art. Whether I’m speaking—doing stand-up comedy, working with corporations, or speaking at schools across the country—that’s when I feel most alive. No two assemblies are ever the same. There’s always so much energy, and you can feel the excitement in the room. These students are incredible! They are fearless. I am truly honored when educators reach out for one of my programs. Of course every program is always tailored to fit their specific needs, so I need to make sure to be an incredible listener. Ahhhh, I could go on and on about traveling and speaking to schools. It’s life giving. Read more>>

Chris Tanner

I am so grateful that I am an artist and that I can work through all the challenges , memories and dreams of the past present and future through my work as an artist.
Making art for me is somewhere between praying and meditation, it’s an intense but freeing exercise where I am just working through till the end of the session that day sometimes in total quiet ,sometimes with music , but in always feeling like I’ve really done something wonderful with my life at the end of the day.. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without art making. Since I was a very small child toddler I have always made art. Read more>>

Pauly Tamez

I knew back in 2010 that I wanted to be a full time artist. At the time, I was making a living in the financial services industry, working as a wholesaler for a fixed income investment firm. I spent almost 3 decades in that business, and although I made a very good living, I never liked the business. I left a financial planning business and moved to the Boerne area and met a group of artists at one of the local galleries who inspired me to develop a discipline as a painter. I sold my first painting as a professional artist at that gallery in 2011. I met a landscape painter who became my mentor for the next 5 years until he passed away. Read more>>

Jeanette Bonner

Ahh, happiness. Such a fraught word. As a creative person who has struggled and stumbled with making a living in this crazy industry for nearly 20 years, I am no stranger to the doubts that are innate to choosing this career.

As an actor in my twenties, the goal was simply to find something to pay the bills while I pursued my passion. Like most of us, though I knew intellectually that the life of an artist was tough, I believed I “had what it takes” (whatever that means, really) and was uniquely talented enough that if I just could figure out a way to hang in there long enough, things would work out for me. Read more>>

Tamas Hever

I feel like the real question is where you can find creativity. Is it about living a creative life while doing a boring job, or is it about doing creative work? My issue is that creative work is all-consuming—it leaves you with very little time to actually live. And I guess that, in itself, becomes creative: you have to figure out how to do weeks of laundry and maintain a meaningful relationship in five minutes. Read more>>

Alexis Politz

I’ve been working in creative fields for 8 years now, and overall I would have to say i’m probably happier being within the art realm than anything else. I know friends who have a regular job and work on their creative endeavors on the side, but I just can’t see myself feeling fulfilled. Read more>>

Hollie Puterbaugh

As a naturally anxious person, I crave stability. However, a career as an artist is anything but stable. I often think about what it would be like to have a regular job. Would it be more stable? Would I be happier? Would I still be able to create? When I was in college pursuing my undergraduate degree, I changed my major at least 3 times as I was trying to find my path. I tried to discover a field that was not art that still could fulfill my creative needs, but I still navigated back to art in the end. Now, I am truly happy as an artist and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else — being a creative is embedded in my identity. Read more>>

Melinda Combs

I am happier as a creative writer, definitely. However, just recently, I did a random job search and I sometimes fantasize about being a barista or working at Costco because I find it diffficult and challenging to have a job that truly never ends. I have many writing projects I’m working on and intend to finish, but it’s difficult to have those looming over my head — constantly. Which is why a job that has specific hours and that I can leave behind when my hours are up does sound dreamy at times; however, I know my soul wouldn’t be happy and I would get the urge to write, inevitably. Read more>>

LORENZO ORTEGA

I am very happy as a content creator on YouTube because it has unleashed a sense of freedom I have always appreciated. What makes me happy about being a creator is that I can express my views and share them with the world. Anyone that has their views align with mines or just wants to hear a different perspective on many ranges of topics can listen or watch my videos on YouTube. Read more>>

Julia Johns

I think about this a lot, and I am definitely happier as an artist/creative, even though I have financially struggled for years at a time. I was a teacher for two years right out of college, and even though that is a famously underpaid career, I sure would have a lot more money now if I had continued teaching. :D But teaching, albeit fun at times and rewarding, was the hardest and most demanding job I’ve ever had. Part of me felt like I was abandoning students when I left that career, but I knew I had to pursue this dream. Once I moved to NYC and started comedy, I found my fellow funny creative weirdos and never looked back. Read more>>