The Sky Between Us: Overcoming the Victim Mindset

I am someone who truly believes that everything from memories to stories we hear during our childhood or even along the years of growing up, plays a vital role as it subconsciously lays its foundation on the way we think, we process emotions, we deal with situations, and even in the way our characters are moulded.

One of the most meaningful stories that stayed with me goes like this:

One quiet evening, a child and his father went for a walk in the park. As they looked up at the wide sky above them, they noticed a winged structure gliding across it.

Curious, the child asked,

“Papa, what could that be?”

With gentleness in his voice, the father replied,

“Son, that is an aeroplane — you can see its twinkling lights.”

The child paused for a moment, then asked again,

“Papa, isn’t an aeroplane very big? Why does it look so small from here?”

The father smiled and said,

“My dear son, everything appears small when we are far from it, and feels huge when we stand close.”

This beautiful story is the core of my article today, as I resonate deeply with the little boy. When we stand too close to the problems, everything feels like a heavy stone trampling on our heart and soul. The weight of life feels like the aeroplane appearing enormous when viewed up close. It feels unbearable, heavy, and helpless, and with the weight lingering in the back of our mind, moving forward seems to be out of reach.

So, distance has its way of shrinking even the biggest things, much like the sky between us and the aeroplane that made it appear small.

So now the question arises: what is this “sky in between” that helps problems and difficulties feel smaller and more manageable?

The answer is CREATIVITY.

Creativity can take any form. For some, it is cooking; for others, writing, sewing, drawing, dancing, sports, or countless other expressions. Creativity creates a pause between us and the issue we are facing. It expands the space in between, allowing our inner world to feel bigger than the problem itself. This space creates the ability for the mind to find solutions and answers to the problems. This space gives the mind room to breathe, to think, and to find solutions. Creativity instils excitement and curiosity, helping us wake up and confront life with renewed perspective.

I remember during our early days, we were eager to explore hobbies, to find time in creating things that excite us, to knit, to read, to draw, to explore. As life unfolds and responsibility widens, we begin to ignore what I call “the need to explore”. To me, it truly is a need, a need to explore and to create. As I have overcome some challenging times in my life, one thing I am certain about is this: finding something new to create gives hope for the next day. It wakes us up in the morning with excitement, and some may even lead us to the purpose of our lives.

Creativity helps to shift us from a victim mindset to a growth-oriented one, where challenges are no longer endings but invitations to rebuild.

It all truly starts with creativity.

As creativity is welcomed into our lives, things that once felt overwhelming no longer have the grip that they once had. For example, the hurt that is caused by someone now does not define your worth now, because creativity reminds you that you are bigger than the hurt. In another case, anger has its power when the root thought is unfairness. What creativity reminds us is that the unfairness can be expressed in ways that it deserves. creativity helps in bringing out voices, lost memories, and helps to express emotions. It gives hope and something to look forward to, and that builds resilience to overcome challenges.

Creativity gives you space to prioritise what matters, allowing other concerns to remain at a distance. When the mind is ready to face what it has an answer to, we can always return to face them. The loop of anger, pain, and guilt loses its grip in our lives when we give importance to finding space for creativity.

Some may say, “I don’t think I really am a creative person.”

Now, let me be the one to tell you, your childhood has a lot of answers hidden in it, because back then, we were always listening to ourselves, giving space to the little voice in us to guide us.

So, remind yourselves of what gave you joy and peace — happiness that needed no medium. No partner. No substances. No validation. Just you, immersed in something that brought joy without explanation.

Start small!

Pick one thing you loved as a child, or something you’ve always wanted to try. Give it a space in your life. See how it shifts your perspective, and watch how your world begins to expand.

This is where your journey with creativity begins.