While she dreamt of becoming an artist and cartoonist early on, it wasn’t until starting a career as a designer that Emily Mills learned she could pursue illustration and live the life she actually wanted all along. Here she shares her experience making the jump to full-time freelance, what she learned from challenging work environments, how she balances her unique career and advice she’d give her former self.

Want to unlock your own ability to think on paper? These 12 brilliant creatives can inspire and show you how.