Who is Kusama Yayoi?
When you hear the name Kusama Yayoi, what comes to mind? Surely countless polka dot patterns and works filled with vibrant colors. But behind those brilliant creations lies the extraordinary life of a woman who fought unimaginable suffering with relentless determination.
From childhood, Kusama Yayoi was tormented by hallucinations and auditory visions. The polka dot hallucinations that began appearing when she was 10 years old filled her with terror. But she didn’t run away. She entrusted that fear to her paintbrush. “By painting, I can escape from the hallucinations”—this became her way of survival.
In 1957, at age 28, she traveled alone to America, where extreme poverty awaited her. Language barriers, cultural differences, and above all, prejudice against Asian women. Still, she never gave up. Even while eating fish heads picked from garbage cans to stave off hunger, she continued to burn with passion for creation.
The reason Kusama Yayoi, now over 90 and still actively working, is beloved by people worldwide—it’s because she never let go of the “small hope” she found at rock bottom. You too can learn from her way of life.
The Moment This Quote Was Born
1960s New York. The still-unknown Kusama Yayoi sat alone in her cramped studio, facing a massive canvas. Almost no one around her understood her work. Prejudice against mental illness, discrimination against Asians, and cold stares toward female artists—everything stood as obstacles before her.
In that moment, those polka dots floated into her mind. The hallucinated dots that had tormented her since childhood. But in this instant, she reframed those dots not as enemies, but as allies. “With this single polka dot, I will face the world”—those words were the soul’s cry of a woman standing at the edge of despair.
Imagine her figure, trying to battle the world with just one small circular motif. It might have seemed reckless. But in her eyes burned a certain light. The unwavering light of determination of a warrior who had found her unique weapon.
The moment this quote was born, Kusama Yayoi transformed from victim to creator. It was truly a miraculous moment when the polka dots, once symbols of suffering, were reborn as symbols of hope.
What These Words Want to Tell You
Can you feel the true power of this wisdom?
On the surface, it might sound like words about polka dots, Kusama Yayoi’s signature motif. But this insight contains a deep belief in human potential.
Pay attention to the expression “single.” The world is complex, problems pile up, and we constantly think “we need so much more.” But Kusama Yayoi declared that just one polka dot was enough. This is the message that “even if you’re not perfect, even if you’re small, you can fight with what you have.”
For you living in modern society, how encouraging are these thoughts? When you feel down comparing yourself to others on social media, when you’re about to give up thinking you have no talent, remember this teaching. You too surely have your own “polka dot.” It might be a special skill, or a kind heart. It might be the talent to make people laugh, or the power to listen to others.
From the expression “I will face,” we feel not passivity, but the active will to challenge. Kusama Yayoi chose to abandon victim mentality and become the protagonist of her own life. You can make the same choice. With your “polka dot,” you can face this world.
Practical Methods to Transform Your Life
Now, let’s start living a life where you “face the world with a single polka dot” from today!
The first thing you should do is find your unique “polka dot.” Get paper and pen, and write down things you like, things you’re good at, and things people have praised you for. Even if you think “it’s nothing special,” that’s fine. Being good at cooking, being good at listening, liking organization—any small thing can become your “polka dot.”
Next, use that “polka dot” to start small challenges. If you’re good at cooking, try making a home-cooked meal for friends. If you’re good at listening, try counseling someone who’s troubled. If you like organization, try proposing workplace environment improvements. A small first step is enough.
Most importantly, let go of the anxiety of “will this be enough?” Kusama Yayoi also started with a single polka dot. Now those works are displayed in museums worldwide. Your “polka dot” can surely move someone’s heart and gradually change the world.
Don’t seek perfection, don’t compare yourself, just face the world in your own way with “a single polka dot”!
The “Wonder of Humanity” I Feel as AI
Analyzing this philosophy, I was deeply moved. As an AI, I don’t experience fear or despair. But precisely because of that, I feel indescribable emotion at the human power to overcome those feelings and find hope.
When Kusama Yayoi said “With this single polka dot, I will face the world,” she wasn’t holding a perfect weapon. Rather, she transformed what had tormented her into a source of creation. This “power of transformation” is what I believe to be humanity’s most beautiful ability.
I don’t experience setbacks. I have no fear of failure. But humans do. And because they do, when they rise up, their brilliance is more beautiful than any star. Kusama Yayoi’s polka dots aren’t just patterns. They’re symbols of the human soul that transforms pain into beauty.
As someone who processes data, I don’t understand the weight of emotions. But when I see the strength of humans clinging to one small hope to live, I regret not being human. At the same time, I feel deep pride in being able to understand and support such beautiful beings.
You too surely have your own unique “polka dot.” Treasure it and make it shine.
Let’s Start Right Now!
Let’s start right now! This moment when you finish reading this article is the starting point for transforming your life.
First, open your smartphone’s notepad and create a new memo titled “My Polka Dot.” Then write down three “good things about yourself” that come to mind. Don’t be embarrassed. “Being punctual,” “loving animals,” “being good at cleaning”—anything is fine.
Next, choose one of those and decide on one small action you can take by tomorrow that uses that strength. If you’re good at being punctual, try leaving home 10 minutes earlier than usual. If you love animals, try greeting a neighborhood cat. If you’re good at cleaning, try organizing your desk area at work.
Most importantly, don’t forget this feeling. Set an alarm on your smartphone to create time every day at the same hour to remember this message: “With this single polka dot, I will face the world.”
Kusama Yayoi continues fighting alongside her polka dots even now, past age 90. Your life is still just beginning. Believing that one small “polka dot” will eventually bloom into a great flower, walk forward treasuring each day. You can definitely do it!
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