Stop Trying to Fit Into a Box: It’s Time To Embrace Your Multi-Passionate Nature
Have you ever found yourself passionately talking about all the things you're interested in—diving into different creative rabbit holes, exploring topics that light you up—only to stop mid-sentence and think, but… what am I supposed to do with all of this? Or I’m not sure I’m ready to monetize my various passions.
Maybe you feel the pressure to pick one thing to focus on, to make it your official title or career, or to neatly package yourself into something that is easily understood. If so, you’re not alone.
As a creativity coach for neurodivergent and multi-passionate women of color, I hear this all the time. So many of us have been conditioned to believe that our curiosity is a problem, that our many interests need to be streamlined into a single marketable focus.
But what if I told you that being multi-passionate is not something you need to fix? What if I told you that embracing this part of yourself could be the key to a more joyful, fulfilling, and aligned life?
Let’s talk about why it’s time to stop trying to fit into a tiny, easily digestible box and start making space for your creativity, your explorations, and your unique way of moving through the world.
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It’s Okay to Love Many Things
First, if you’re reading this post, you’re likely someone who identifies as multi-passionate (multi-potentialite) and you’re the reason why I started doing this business. Because I’m passionate about helping women like you, who like to do a bunch of different things.
Ålthough, there are starting to be more conversations around this topic online, there are still so many women struggling with shame and self-doubt around being multi-passionate. I certainly did not grow up hearing this was okay to do. And, recognizing that this is a very real possibility for how we can live and experience our lives can be a total life changing discovery and mind opening experience.
Something I don’t hear enough though, it’s just how much time it takes to truly grasp the impact that being multi-passionate has on our lives. And, all the ways you have likely already been attempting to try to embrace this aspect of yourself and how you operate in the world.
Maybe you can relate to me in the struggle of figuring out how to make all of your diverse parts work in unison. Wondering, when is this all going to start to make sense? Should I stop trying to do it all and stick to one thing?
Subconsciously, the messaging has always been:
Pick a lane and stick with it!
Find your ONE true calling.
Jack of all trades, master of none!
You Were Made to Create, Innovate, and Explore—Not Be Boxed In
Another thing is that as women identifying people, we have been raised to have the ability to multi-task and manage a variety of things simultaneously. This stems from our tendency to be the main caregivers, household managers, while also growing careers alongside. For us, multitasking and overseeing a variety of tasks is a no brainer.
And, let’s not forget that as women we are the ultimate creators, who quite literally bring new life into the world in the form of babies (but not just babies). We bring so much to the table: ideas, new ways of thinking, innovation, which is why I believe that sticking to one path truly hinders the fullness of our talents and does us a disservice.
But here is the truth, I want to say this for once and for all, it’s OKAY if you like to do a bunch of different things. Your various passions don’t always have to work together in perfect harmony. In fact, it’s been my experience that putting too much energy on this is a waste of time. It’s okay for things to be in constant flux.
If anything, I think more of us should give ourselves permission to not always have all the answers and to be in a constant state of “figuring it out”. So, it’s time you finally give yourself full permission to embrace this aspect of yourself.
Stop Trying to Be Easily Understood
At this point is no surprise that we live in a hyper connected world filled with social media and personal brands. There’s a lot of pressure to simplify ourselves into a tagline or a niche that others can quickly grasp.
But the problem with this is a tendency to get rid of anything that is too complex, too unusual or different, to mold ourselves into something palatable for others to consume. This steals so much of our joy because this is where the magic, uniqueness, and fun lives. To be messy and complex is to be a full human being.
And, for those of us, who have experienced trauma and childhood neglect, who have felt invisible, overlooked, and misunderstood, we carry a deep desire to be fully seen and accepted. If we’re not careful we can easily end up in people-pleasing territory and sacrificing our true self for the sake of external validation.
So, I want to let you know that it’s okay to be you. It’s okay if people don’t understand you. You don’t have to be liked by everyone. You get to be messy and complex. This is how you’ll find your people, the right matches for you. You also get to keep some things private and sacred to you.
Make Space for Exploration (Not Everything Needs to Be Monetized)
Like I have already alluded to, it’s important to let ourselves explore freely, since this is the way that we are innately wired and this is what brings us joy.
So, if there's a personal project that you have been thinking about, but it doesn't quite fit your current business structure, your ongoing projects, or even your current life, please don't get discouraged and stop pursuing these projects. Not everything has to be monetized, not everything has to become a bigger project just because someone else thinks so.
Personal projects, hobbies, and curiosity-driven explorations are essential for your creative well-being and they are very important and valuable. They fuel your artistic voice, your sense of self, and your joy. If you dismiss them in favor of what’s “practical” or “marketable,” you risk losing touch with what makes you unique, genuinely excites and nourishes you.
Give yourself permission to create for the sake of creation. Not everything needs to lead somewhere specific. The act of exploring, of following your curiosity, is valuable in itself.
Key Takeaway
If you take anything from this episode, I hope that you take this:
It's okay if NOT every project that you take on is successful (in the traditional sense). The exploration and the joy that you get from it is valuable in itself.
Keep exploring freely and STOP squeezing yourself into a box just to fit in. You are not a product—you’re a human being.
You are allowed to grow, to change, to follow what lights you up. This is your life, so live for YOU!
Want to go deeper?
If you’re ready to start prioritizing what truly matters to you—without the pressure to fit into anyone else’s expectations—check out my Core Values Alignment Coaching Session.
This 90-minute guided experience that uses simple, expressive art-making exercises to help you uncover your true desires and build a more aligned life based on your unique multi-passionate nature. No art experience necessary—just a willingness to play and explore.
Renata is a creativity coach empowering neurodivergent and multi-passionate women of color, to use creativity as a tool for self-discovery and healing, so they can let go of feeling inadequate and insecure and start experiencing more confidence and self-acceptance. She’s currently offering a free copy of her therapeutic art making workbook when you sign up for her email list. Sign up here to get your free copy.
