Heartlanta Journal

Young Creatives vs The Clock

We asked creatives to provide an authentic response to how they feel about aging; to maintain integrity, we allowed for anonymous responses as well to portray honest and legitimate feelings of a few creatives in ATL.

Five Lives, Five Opinions

I(24): My birthday is around the corner and I do not like that. 25 is such a serious number. I feel like I’m supposed to know what I want, but I don’t think I do. I know it’s supposed to still be young but I don’t feel that way. I’ll try to do something fun anyway.”

Phillex (25): “It feels like there’s a time limit to develop your passion into a full time (good paying) job. As a kid, I always wondered why people would work a job they barely tolerated but the thing they really loved, their passion, would be relegated to a “hobby.”

Now that I’m 25 I understand. Those bills gotta get paid somehow, and it seems like the older we get, the higher our expenses get. I still prioritize my dreams, especially with music, I feel chasing your dreams is the only way to live. But I do understand how the growing pressures of life can hinder you from achieving what you truly want.”

Anonymous Girl (24):“Honestly, I saw the TikTok that mentions how you might as well chase your dreams because of how bad the economy is. Lowkey, they right tho, shifted my perspective. Easier said than done because I’m behind; I need to pay for everything. I don’t want to go out like this though, I gotta have something of my own to show.”

Anwar (26): “I personally have loved growing up. I’m 26 now. I know that I’m happy because I’m experiencing my success. I’ve been chasing this dream for almost a decade and it’s worked out; I don’t think I would’ve been happy had I experienced success sooner. I had to learn lessons along the way. ”

Eve (31): I appreciate how much deeper I connect with people as I got older. People know me for more than my job. It’s been interesting to build my own personal brand that way. It’s like an unconventional networking that seems to last longer. Of course I have my day job, then my 5-9 consists of my artistic recharge. I have a community.”

Advice from a mature creative

To get advice from a person who’s been there, done that, I turned to a creative by the name of Party. Party is a lively, humorous filmmaker we met at a previous event.

Party didn’t provide us with his exact age, but he provided us with his own perspective on aging.

“As a creative that’s getting older you never want to rush to create something out of fear of the clock running out. But at the same time, you can’t help but feel the years pass by and your age stacking up. The thoughts and fears of did I do enough! Should I be further along in my career? Can I relate to this era and time. These thoughts are real. I think it’s about a shift in focus, don’t worry about the time. Or your age. Stay adaptable. Touch grass. Continue to take the world as is. Always stay authentic… and create art that’s timeless because we know we aren’t.”

There’s always a calming effect when older people let us know that not only do they understand, but also we can continue to navigate these conversations while sharing a sense of understanding, which is greatly appreciated.

Overall, it seems the number isn’t the scariest part, but the unknowns of where we’re headed.

It’s about wanting proof that we’re becoming something before “getting old.”

Yet what if getting older is how we create robust communities and become pillars? If it’s inevitable, it’s better we share these dialogues and opportunities together, and we can do so by connecting today!