Someone’s offhand “you’re good at this” in ninth grade might be why you still draw. Pass that sentence along.

A sentence costs the speaker nothing and can redirect years. Casual praise from someone slightly older or slightly more expert lands with a weight the speaker never intends, because at that age you are still deciding what you are allowed to be. Most people can name the line that gave them permission, and most of the people who said those lines have forgotten them entirely.

Say the specific thing when you notice it, especially to someone younger. Name the actual skill rather than offering general encouragement. It takes six words and you will never know which ones landed.