One of the positive changes I went through was my attitude towards life. Until my senior year in high school, I was pretty much a fatalist. I though my successes were due to sheer good luck, and my failures were the results of bad karma. Such a mindset prevented me from really trying for the things I wanted, and it made me very afraid of failure. The scariest things in life are the things you cannot control, and I felt like I had no control, even over my own life. I started with the small things- I complimented myself for the little triumphs in my life, and I objectively analyzed the causes of my successes and failures. I started to regain control over my life, actively pursuing the things I wanted for myself.
This renewed life philosophy was what helped me most in becoming a successful graphic designer. This is a field that required me to put a lot of faith in myself, because the best designs come from trusting your instincts. I learned how to stop overthinking things and go with my gut feelings. Consequently, my designs became more direct, forceful, and effective. People praise the flash of creativity that unfurls itself in my designs, and they often say that looking at my work is like looking at lightening striking across the sky. I am more than grateful for such positive feedback, and I am excited for what's to come in the future.
Thinking back, the catalyst for all of these positive changes seems to be my 'Seongnyun name.' The name I gave to myself upon turning of age was Levyn. In Chinese characters it meant 'lighting up the world through hard work,' and in Old English it simply meant 'lightening.' I don't subscribe to the whole notion of nominative determinism, but I think giving myself a new name that encompassed all the values I wished to have definitely helped me find my way in life. All of my names- Sunho (big person in the world), Yerin (Pretty child), and Levyn (Lightening)- have shaped my world in some capacity. I sincerely hope that the 26th wavers - who are going through their Seongnyun year - choose the right Seongnyun name for themselves as well.
