Free to Be Me: Finding Freedom in a World of Expectations

Original Notes written November 12, 2025

This week, on Wednesday, November 4th, 2026, is a big day for the USA after the elections that took place. This is the third time I've had the opportunity to vote as an American citizen, and I felt so much hope and inspiration from the elected man and woman stepping up in these leadership roles with a shift toward more respect and peace, love over fear. 

Sometimes, the things we create carry a message that we aren't quite ready to share. 

And sometimes, life has a way of bringing those creations back when we need their message just as much as we did when we first imagined them.

It started with a photograph of birds taking flight years ago, but somewhere along the way, this photo became art with a reminder I needed in my own life. 

I created Free to Be Me during a chapter of my life when I was trying to understand my own path, navigate uncertainty, and find a little more peace within myself.

We were living in El Salvador, and things weren't unfolding quite as we had hoped. The projects and plans we were working on weren't coming together or moving fast enough to support our family financially.

There was a lot to figure out, and honestly, it was a difficult season. But it was also really special because we got to share time with my family in El Salvador and experience its culture in a way we never had before.

For me, it was a full-circle moment, thinking back to the young teenager who once had no choice but to leave everything behind.

I had written about this artwork back then, but never got around to sharing it. Perhaps I wasn't ready, or perhaps I simply had other things that needed my attention at the time.

I don't believe there is ever a perfect time to put ourselves or our work out into the world.

So here I am, finally sharing it.

What does “Free To Be Me” mean to you?

For me, as I approach my first year in my 40s, I feel like I've been releasing parts of myself that no longer serve me.

Trying to look perfect all the time, comfort is a lot more important now, lol, and learning to accept the gray hairs as "tinsel" (as my hairstylist daughter calls them) that brighten and enlighten my head. 

There are many things on the physical side, but what I'm really trying to release are those parts of me that:

• Afraid of being seen.
• Afraid to make mistakes or accept the mistakes already made.
• Struggle with frustrating people-pleasing habits that block me from finding my own enjoyment and peace! 
• The expectations of how others might need me to be there for them, while remembering that I can give all I can in the ways that I can, always sending my light and love to those I love the most.
• Afraid of what may happen. Learning to trust the path, especially when things aren't going the way I planned or hoped.
• Speak to myself poorly and unkindly. Instead, I practice listening with grace and letting go of the thoughts that no longer serve me, replacing them with those that do.

And the list goes on, but these really jumped out at me. There might always be something to release as I add new, better parts of me.

The process isn't always easy. Sometimes it feels like carrying a heavy bag of expectations, assumptions, and beliefs that I've picked up along the way.

Letting go of them happens in waves.

I let go of the expectations of society about what I should believe in, what I should be doing, how I should look, or what others might think of me.

I feel like sometimes my brain can't comprehend, or perhaps never fully will, what it must have been like to be that 15-year-old teen who had never left El Salvador to live in a world so different and diverse from anything she had ever experienced.

A world where labels were used to "tell" her who she was, called, in immigration terms, an "ALIEN" and "TEMPORARY" in red bold letters on my first license and Social Security card.

Then there are the assumptions because I'm from El Salvador, because I'm a woman, a mom, a wife. I'm also an American, so I can't be Salvadoran, but I can't be American because I'm a Salvadoran, etc., etc., etc.

Perhaps this is why I connect so much with art, because there are no limits or assumptions that can limit what we create. I love Frida Kahlo's quote when she says: 

"I don't belong to any category."

As a creator, especially in a world of social media, there can be so much pressure to do more, be more, or go in a direction that isn't truly us. To become something others expect us to be instead of creating something that truly fills our hearts and is made for the world to see, because there are no other creations or expressions in the world quite like yours and mine.

We are all unique, with our own capabilities, and the world can be filled with endless possibilities. We can move mountains to bring our purpose to light in this world, right now.

At the end of the day, I can only be me.

I am grateful I can be free to be me, and I do not take it for granted.

And I want to give in the ways that I can, through my art, my experiences, and the things I share along my journey.

I've also come to recognize that being able to express ourselves freely is something not everyone gets to experience in the same way. I don't take that lightly. It has taken me years of practicing putting myself out there, and I still have so much to go. 

It feels scary to put ourselves out there, especially when the world feels so divided, and there is so much judgment and uncertainty around us. 

But I try to remember that I can never lose by trying and putting my best intentions into adding light to the online world, which also has its dark side…

I've experienced those little assumptions about who I am, where I'm from, how I speak, and what others might think my life looks like, both when I didn't speak English and now that I barely have an English accent.

Some might seem insignificant compared to what others experience, yet they have made me reflect on how much energy I've given to the perceptions of others instead of giving it to what truly matters. 

How much joy it has stolen from me, more than it needed to!

I know in my heart that the best thing I can do is keep finding ways to feel free to be myself, trust my path, and let go of what isn't mine to carry.

How?

By giving myself permission, I am free to be me, and fly like a bird, and flow like water instead of fighting every unexpected turn or feeling. When I try to do that, I eventually feel more at peace.

The story behind the artwork

I began this design a few years ago, inspired by a photograph I captured after the most magical weekend with my husband. We were coming home from a dear friend's wedding, and I remember feeling so blessed, complete, and grateful for the life we were building.

I noticed these beautiful birds and admired their freedom to fly, to see the world from up high, and to go wherever they were called.

I managed to capture the moment one of the birds was taking off.

There was something about that moment that stayed with me. I knew I wanted to create something from that photograph, something that would remind me of that feeling.

Life hasn't always felt as simple or as effortless as those birds taking flight. But I want to believe that I can find that freedom within myself, too. And I want to keep practicing it, over and over again.

A little reminder in uncertain times

As I share this artwork, I find myself coming back to the same message.

In a world that can feel so uncertain and divided, I want to remember that I can always find my way back to myself.

I can choose what feels right for me and my family, hold on to what I believe in, and continue growing without allowing the expectations or opinions of others to define me.

I don't have it all figured out, and I might never will.

All I have is today, to be ME.

I know that those inner conversations, the work we put into ourselves, and the willingness to keep learning and growing bring us closer to the people we want to become.

Maybe freedom isn't about having everything figured out or never feeling afraid. Maybe sometimes it's simply allowing ourselves to be who we are, right where we are, while continuing to grow.

Free to Be Me.

That's the reminder I wanted this artwork to carry, and it's one I need to remind myself of, too.

If this message resonates with you, I hope it brings a little light, hope, and encouragement your way.

Sending love to everyone navigating their own uncertain chapters.

A little light along the way

There's one more thing that makes sharing this artwork especially meaningful to me.

Recently, I had one of those moments that made me jump with excitement. I received a notification that someone had purchased my Free to Be Me T-shirt through my website!

I literally jumped! It might seem like a small thing, but when you're an independent artist building a small business without a marketing budget, every sale means so much.

Selling my work through my website hasn't been easy, and there are moments when I wonder if what I'm creating is worth it. So seeing that purchase felt like a little light along my path, a reminder to keep going.

It brought me right back to the message that inspired this creation in the first place:

Trust my journey, keep showing up, and remember why I started.

To the lovely person who purchased this shirt, thank you!

You may never know how much that little notification meant to me. I truly hope this artwork brings you the same inspiration and reminder that it has brought me along the way.

Sometimes, the encouragement we need comes in the most unexpected ways. And sometimes, it's a reminder that what we put into the world can find its way to someone who needs it, too.

Bringing Free to Be Me into your space

I made this design available as wall art, tote bags, and T-shirts through the Purposeful Dreamer shop. Each piece is a little reminder of freedom, self-expression, and the beauty of being ourselves. Shop the Collection HERE. 

Want to explore creating digitally?

If you've ever wanted to explore digital art or create your own designs, the tools I used to bring Free to Be Me to life are a great place to start.

I've been using my iPad and Apple Pencil for about six years now, and I've learned so much along the way. I absolutely love having this option to create.

With Procreate, a digital art app you can use on your iPad, I can sketch, paint, experiment with colors, and let my creativity evolve without using up physical supplies or creating waste.

What I love most is that it's still my hands, my ideas, and my original creations—just another way to bring them to life. No AI-generated artwork, just the freedom to explore, experiment, make mistakes, and create something that's uniquely yours.

If you'd like to give digital art a try, here are the tools I use:

• iPad: Explore the iPad I use
• Apple Pencil: This one is compatible with this iPad
• Procreate: Visit Procreate.com — this is the app I use to create. (This is not an affiliate link)

Affiliate disclosure

A quick note: This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products I would personally use, have used, or believe would benefit you.

Thank you for being here, for supporting my art, and for allowing me to share a little piece of my journey with you.

With love,

Karina Hines
Purposeful Dreamer