Posts Tagged with Multidimensional

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Six Ways To Manage Your Multiple Interests

Are you a multipotentialite? If so, then you know that having multiple interests adds variety and meaning to each day.  These interests can range from music, interior design projects, a stamp collection, history or photography.  Multiple interests aren’t just for the artsy types. Anyone can have multiple interests including people with traditional careers such as doctors, lawyers or engineers.  It is just a matter of recognizing these interests and finding a way to incorporate them in your life.

So how do you make that happen? Being true to yourself and ensuring these interest are present in your life can be challenging. Here are some considerations and strategies to get the fulfillment you need:

1. Manage and prioritize your time.  This is key if your interests aren’t part of your day-to-day via a career, job, vocation etc.  Make sure to prioritize time for yourself that will allow you to pursue your interests.  For example, you may need to pass on the impromptu happy hour after work if that means missing your painting class.

2. Schedule your interests. If you have multiple interests, you can allocate time for each during the course of the week. Schedule time on Monday for running, on Tuesday for tutoring and on Wednesday for learning French.  A predictable cadence will help keep you accountable.  Set up reminders if you need to!

3. Designate different locations. If you’re transitioning from one interest to another, it helps to change your location. This will help you mentally prepare so when you step into the garage, your brain knows you’re getting ready to build the bookshelf.

4. Involve others. Your interests are personal but depending on what they are, you may be able to do them with others or with an organization that has the same focus. For example, you can learn Spanish alone or you can participate in a weekly coffee hour on Saturdays to practice with others.

5. Distinguish been fleeting and long-term interests. You’ll outgrow some interests and that’s OK. Others will be intrinsic to who you are, last a lifetime, and lead to greater opportunities. Learn to tell the difference between what’s a fad and long-lasting so you know when to pivot and where to devote more focus.

6. Be flexible. As things change, including your list of interests, be adaptable and flexible.  The more you learn and discover, new interests will come your way and you’ll want to have enough space to explore them.

Exploring multiple interests is possible when you manage your time effectively and get organized.  Prioritize designated time as you do with anything else that is important to you. Jim Rohn said it best:

If you really want to do something, you‘ll find a way. If you don’t, you‘ll find an excuse.

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Are you a multipotentialite? How do you manage your multiple interests?  Do you use different strategies than the suggestions above?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Cliff Notes From the Book on Life – Part 1

I still haven’t gotten my hands on the Book on Life so I don’t know how clearly it lays out all the things we need to know and
remember.  I suspect it doesn’t explicitly state that life isn’t always easy. Maybe that is written somewhere in fine print, hanging off the bottom of a random page, if it is in the book at all.

During honest, open and authentic conversations, you learn about the different things people are going through in life.  Each day we manage multiple aspects of our lives, and when we’re laser focused on the problem du jour, we easily neglect other areas.  I had some good conversations with friends recently and came away with some important takeaways across various aspects of life that are worth remembering.

One friend was traveling for work and contemplating career next steps and taking some time to catch up on the non-career aspects of life.  In a conference call with two friends, one had been thinking about his higher purpose in life because he doesn’t want to settle or live a life where he’s just going through the motions. The other friend questioned his authenticity as he assessed how his interests align to his higher education pursuits.  In another conversation, a friend shared her decision to move to a different city after being honest with herself about always wanting to and realizing this may be the best time.

The takeaways from these conversations were relevant and timely. They’re great reminders that we’re in the driver seat of our lives and own our choices and how we live our lives:

Be a complex, multi-faceted person. Being well-rounded and knowledgeable about different topics adds to your perspective, helps you generate new ideas and enhances how your critical-thinking skills.  You’re more interesting when you can contribute to any conversation and keep up no matter where it goes.

Think and wonder. Why else do we have a brain and the ability to think and process information? Questioning is healthy and you don’t need approval for the possibilities you envision.  Not everyone will stretch their imagination like you, so when people don’t get it, maybe it is just you!  And that’s OK! 🙂

Aspire for more in life.  You don’t need to settle. It is OK to be ambitious, strive and desire to have an impact. It is OK to be passionate about something in life and seek a higher purpose.  This requires a holistic approach to bring it all together for a fulfilling life.

Learn to balance.  Although you may have big aspirations, you have to figure out how to balance everything.  There’s only so much time in the day. You’ll have to balance accomplishing things, being present, being grateful, dreaming big, being practical etc.

Build your toolbox. What tools have you gathered along the way and continue to carry with you on your life journey? Think of all the advice, lessons you learned the hard way, “how to” information, skills, education, talent, and resources you have.  There’s always a need to step up your toolbox game so keep adding to it!

Don’t be another ______.  Whether that’s an employee number, a generic person filling a role, remaining unknown or unacknowledged, you don’t want to live a life where you feel replaceable.  It is OK to be dynamic and unique.  Set yourself apart by providing value and making a difference, not for recognition, but because you want to help others and have an impact.

Own your core.  Focus on and play to your strengths.  Don’t waste time battling with your weaknesses. There is someone who is amazing in that area so let them own it. Focus on what you’re great at and continue to improve in that area.

Be a better version of yourself. The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday. So don’t worry about competing with others or seeking their approval.

Leverage the power of like-minded people. The energy, strength and inspiration from talking to and interacting with like-minded people is amazing. Use that to your advantage to tackle big goals. You don’t do everything yourself.

Make time and space for what’s important. Make time for your interests, family, friends or whatever else is important to you.  When you keep what’s important to you in your life, you’ll keep your momentum going.  This provides a safe space and rejuvenation to propel you forward.

Cross things off your bucket list. This first assumes you have a bucket list. But it isn’t enough to just have one. You need to actively cross things off over time. The good thing is you don’t always need a deadline but make sure you have a plan to get to it.

Be true to yourself. From time to time, ask yourself if you’re being true to yourself or if you’re being disingenuous.  You need to check. It is easy to go through the motions and not intentionally align actions with your overall goals. Do a check up periodically.

Be open to the unexpected.  It is great to have a plan. But sometimes, things go awry!  Life always has jokes. Give yourself a break and be flexible!  Switch things up, pivot as you need to and keep it moving!

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What are some of your favorite life takeaways?  Are any of the ones above on your list? What works for you?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Ignite Your Creativity with Fresh Inspiration: Book A Trip And Travel!

My recent trip to London and Paris was somewhat impromptu and this quick decision set the tone for the trip.  I spent the first few days in London and Coventry, which is an hour northwest of London.  I finally booked a hotel in Paris the night before leaving London on the 5:40 AM train to Paris.  Aside from the train and hotel bookings, there was no set plan or itinerary for my time in Paris.

I usually like to have a plan, but this time, I didn’t feel compelled to add structure and complicate the trip with logistics that I’d have to manage.  A strict schedule didn’t fit, and as it turned out, this had its benefits.

Flexibility and time were key advantages which I came to appreciate as the trip became an opportunity to truly take a break, relax, travel, experience, see, do and explore without restrictions.

This allowed me to limit unnecessary distractions that could monopolize my time, enjoy the moments, and be fully present.  In particular, it gave me freedom to welcome inspirations and triggers that fuel my creativity.  I took in the sights, sounds, tastes, perspectives, different approaches, attention to detail, and art around me. I loved every second of it and immersed myself in absorbing as much as I could!

I took in the sights, sounds, tastes, perspectives, different approaches, attention to detail, and art around me. I loved every second of it and immersed myself in absorbing as much as I could!

I appreciated the ways that travel ignites creativity:

Improves your ability to focus.  When you remove yourself from your busy schedule and take a vacation, you’re no longer competing with meetings, client calls, and emails.  By limiting your overall distractions and competing priorities, you are able to focus.  This focus is key to creativity as it allows you to channel your energy toward positive influences that ignite your creativity.  This building in Paris caught my eye with the architect’s attention to detail.

Disrupts your routine. When you travel and you’re exposed to other cultures and ways of life, you see how others live and how things can be done differently.  Think about your morning or evening routine of brushing your teeth and washing your face.  I have a process of how I do this each time and you probably do also. In London, I was presented with a sink that looks like the photo shown here, where one faucet had hot water while the other had cold water.  Neither was ideal for my hands or face because the hot water was scalding and cold water in winter was not my preference.  I had to think through this process and how I could be creative in order to brush my teeth and wash my face. I realized that despite the logistics of using this sink versus one in the US, if you’re flexible with the process, you can achieve the same end goals and have similar outcomes. Ultimately, disrupting your routine pushes your creativity by allowing you to see things in a different light.

Enhances your creative process. As you build more perspectives from travel experiences, you develop more reference points and have more tools at your disposal. You can then use these to enhance your creative process with fresh inspiration and content.  I loved the decor of my hotel in Paris, especially the mix of abstract art with bold red pillows that didn’t take away from the overall peacefulness.  This inspired me to incorporate seemingly loud artistic elements into my own home and creative space. Ultimately, new inputs from travel experiences can influence your creative process, including your space, and lead to better results.

Lets you add to your toolbox and expands your influences.  As you’re exposed to the norms people develop as a result of their culture, you gain new perspective.  These norms many be different from your own and new to you.  As a starting point, we’re all influenced by where we grew up, our friends, our college experience, work experience, leadership experiences, spiritual practice, etc. All of these influences and associations have shaped who we are.  Each time you expand your influences, you gain a new point of view and perspective.  Each time you travel, you shape your experience and influences and add to your creativity toolbox.  Soon, you’ll be able to create with results that transcend cultures and geographical locations.

If you’re looking for some fresh inspiration for your creativity, I’d recommend taking a trip.  Creativity is about coming up with new things and ideas.  What better way to be inspired by seeing, doing and learning new things in a new place?

I’m interested in hearing your experience. How has travel influenced you and your creativity?  Has it expanded your perspective, allowing you to think differently about your work? Do you find ways to draw on the experiences you’ve gained?  I’d love to hear your comments below!

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