Dawn — the color of the sky shifts subtly with the emergence of the rising sun. Magic fills the empty night and instills my sleeping self with curiosity.

The world is dark; that’s what makes dawn so moving, the possibility of what’s to come. From black to a faint, grey-blue, until the morning light shines purple and golden.

The air is cold and fresh. I start the day with what I love and open the book I’m reading. Getting lost in a fictional world helps me better understand my own.

Mythical stories aren’t only meant to be read. They’re meant to be lived.

My favorite fiction, such as The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, inspires me to live my hero’s journey. This book, the sequel to The Name of the Wind, stoked my imagination on a daily basis.

With nonfiction, I’m a more eager student than I’ve ever been as I leaf through new information. After finishing The Wise Man’s Fear, I’m now starting the classic by Robert Greene, Mastery.

At this early hour I feel equipped to go for my dreams. No longer sleeping, I dream of a meaningful reality.

From Mastery’s introduction, I’ve learned that it isn’t those born with innate genius who succeed. It’s those who follow their curiosity, who heed the calling of their soul over material success and what we’re supposed to want.

I think I’m going to love this book.

The day goes by and in the moments beyond the setting sun, I wander into dusk.

Dusk — composed of fading light.

Last night I wandered the beach with my camera, reflecting, thinking, and snapping shots. I was caught in the beauty of the lights from the road which illuminated the ocean, the shimmer of a small plane flying across the dark grey clouds, the arrival of the moon with her watchful eyes.

Where dawn is the fire igniting, dusk is sitting around the smoldering flame, feeling its warmth and emanating love.

I walked past others and shared a smile — I don’t know what you’ve been through; I don’t know the journey you’re on, but we’re here, and nothing else really matters.

In the morning my soul expands as I explore what life could be. At dusk my heart seeks simplicity; the awe evoked by the end of the day makes me consider what’s important — love for others and the world.

The light wanes, and I’m left in the darkness.

At dawn before the buildup of the day’s worries, before going on social media and comparing, before we have to defend ourselves against the myriad of thoughts which lure us off course, I feel connected to who I truly am.

I read and I write because these are my passions that I will continue to cultivate even if I never made a penny.

At dusk, I stood in awe on the shore with my camera, marveling at how incomprehensible, how beautiful, how meaningful this life can be.

Our days are comprised of continually deciding what to focus on and where to allocate our energy. I think we all know deep down what we want to do more than anything.

Maybe it’s not a career yet; maybe you haven’t picked up the paintbrush in a long time. But I think life can be simple and absolutely beautiful when we decide to focus more and more on what we know brings us joy and peace, and focus less on what doesn’t.

Living in our modern world makes us feel like we have to be doing a hundred things at once to make it, to be happy, to be successful. But we don’t.

Success may come from giving more energy to what genuinely lights you up, which is often the most simple thing.

I was inspired to write this story after hearing renowned psychologist and author Jordan Peterson in his video: Meaning, Awe, and the Conceptualization of God.

He was speaking about nihilism, the increasingly prevalent belief that none of this really matters, that what we do can’t change the world, that we simply aren’t important as individuals.

Peterson has dedicated his life to interpreting what makes life meaningful and combating nihilism. He says:

I think God in this sense is the highest ideal that we can hope to reach, where nothing is as important as the fact that we’re alive, experiencing this gift of life, doing something that transcends merely going through the motions.

Focus on what makes you happy, and give more and more attention to that.

I believe when we do, the rest will unfold exactly as it’s supposed to.