"WHEN PASSION STARTS ASKING FOR APPROVAL."

Dhira Maya

Maya, a high school student, finds comfort in drawing amid the noise of her classroom. What begins as a personal escape slowly becomes her main source of calm and identity. Encouraged by a friend, she starts sharing her drawings online. The positive response pushes her to create for validation rather than passion. As expectations grow, Maya feels pressured to achieve perfection. Her emotions begin to rise and fall with every “like,” turning her once-beloved hobby into a burden. When she enters an art competition, self-doubt overwhelms her. In the process, she is forced to confront the reason she started drawing in the first place, leading her to rediscover her true purpose and reconnect with her art on her own terms.