Artists & Alchemy

Artists & Alchemy

by Mario A. Campanaro

We all share a similar story where we feel unsupported in our endeavors. My response to that is simple: when you don’t have the support of others, it rarely has anything to do with you. It often stems from another person’s viewpoint of what they think you’re trying to achieve—or not achieve—and very often, that perception is inaccurate.

Of course, support is important, but before you can expect support from anyone else, you have to first support yourself. Everything you want to achieve in life is in your own hands. You are responsible for what you desire. You must be your own cheerleader, your own teacher, your own healer, your own support system, and your own best friend. If any of these roles are lacking, it’s time to do some serious work to figure out how you can fulfill them for yourself.

I truly believe we have been given everything we need to achieve our desires. Sometimes life presents us with obstacles so that we can realize our own power. These challenges help us see that we are capable of transforming even the most difficult circumstances into blessings—turning coal into diamonds. If I had listened to everyone who told me what my outcome would be, I’d be dead by now. But instead, I dug deep within myself to understand my demons—and I am still doing it. It’s an ongoing process. I began asking myself: What in me is allowing these obstacles to persist? What in me is stopping me from realizing my full potential? What in me is making the world feel dark or limited?

Once I allowed myself to confront these circumstances in my mind, I started to transform them—little by little. It wasn’t easy, and it came with growing pains, but through that process, I realized that the more I depended on others, the more I gave my power away. The more I believed the answer was "out there," the more I needed more answers. The more I turned inward, the more I realized that everything I needed already resided within me. I just needed the courage to trust myself. I needed the strength to look in the mirror and say, "You’ve got some work to do!"—and then actually do that work.

We are often taught that everything we need is somewhere "out there." We are told that someone else holds the answer—whether it’s in a book, from a doctor, a guru, a mentor, or a friend. But what we are not taught is that the answer we seek is us. We are our own mirror, but we have to be willing to look into it. We are our own path, but we have to be willing to walk it. We are our own salvation, if we can just see that we have the power to create our own salvation. We are the very thing that either stands in the way of our desires or sets us free to experience them.

This isn’t self-help nonsense—it’s our birthright. It’s what we’ve been given. No matter the circumstances, there is always a way if there’s a will. As long as you take accountability for yourself, as long as you take responsibility, as long as you have the courage to face what needs transformation, and as long as you love yourself enough to want to change for the better, you can achieve anything. You are a creative being by the very nature of your creation. Knowing this, you have the ability to create the life you desire, to perform alchemy in your own life, and to become a warrior for your highest good.

The only thing that stands in our way is our ego and the limiting beliefs we’ve been taught, telling us that we are not enough. But the truth is, we are more than enough. We have always been more than enough.

Copyright © 2025 Mario A. Campanaro, All rights reserved.