Do you suffer from Multipotentiality?

Do you have many interests? Many talents and skills? Have difficulty choosing what to focus on now? Recently I heard a great TEDx talk where Emilie Wapnick described multipotentiality, a word I’d never heard before:

And it resonated! Personally, I have followed passions around computer programming, songwriting, making music with voice, guitar, keyboard and flute, deep friendships, leadership, family, personal development, spirituality, health and well-being, life coaching. I’ve changed careers. And here I am writing to you! Some days, I wonder:

Who am I?
What should I do today?

As a life coach, I invite you to dig deep and identify personal values, discern what brings fulfillment, discover passion or calling and head toward it!

Yet, that can be a very hard thing to do!

Especially if, like me, you have too many passions to choose from!

Here’s the thing: you don’t have to! Especially in this fast paced, ever changing world we live in, it is quite likely that you will need to change direction numerous times throughout your lifetime. Even if you don’t change discipline as I did from technology to life coaching, your chosen area of interest or passion will probably be expressed in ever changing ways.

Are you a multipotentialite? If so, embrace it! Celebrate all the ways you are able to show up and contribute to life, be creative, earn a living, play!

And when it feels like too much, or you struggle to make a decision about where to focus, ask yourself:

What is calling to me now?
What can wait?
What must I put on hold for now?

What path might incorporate multiple interests?
What, if done first, paves the way for something else?

Finally, breathe! Release the struggle. Remember that you can always change your mind. Above all else, whatever you choose for now, focus. You really can’t do two things at once. Multipotentiality is real. Multitasking – not so much!

Do you check on the roots?

roots

If you are reading this, I suspect you live with intention.  If I asked:

What seeds have you planted for this leg of your life journey?

I suspect you would answer one or more of these questions with a yes:

Are you deep in business building or personal transformation?
Are you devoted to grandchildren or caring for your parents?
Are you giving special attention to your relationships?
Are you developing a talent through regular practice and training?

Whatever it is, I wonder how often:

  • you question if you really should be focusing your energy *here*
  • you worry about what isn’t getting your attention
  • you think your aren’t doing enough, getting *here* fast enough

If these sound familiar, then you have planted a seed and are checking on the roots, digging it up to see what’s happening below the surface.

Guess what? Plants don’t grow real well this way!

Neither to dreams and goals, those big visions we have. Today, and every day, consider adding a huge dose of trust in the process. You live with intention, remember?  You chose this focus after much evaluation and discernment. You set a plan in place and have been taking action steps that fit your goal. Today, take the next step. Celebrate completion. Smile. Rest. Tomorrow? Repeat!

If you must check on your progress, then put a date on your calendar for the next root check. Depending on your focus, that date might be 1 or 3, 6 or even 12 months down the road.  Then forget it!

What would a dose of trust do for you today?

What Do You Tolerate?

Tolerate: to endure or resist the action of without serious side effects or discomfort …

Okay. So we tolerate and nothing horrible seems to come of it. We tolerate too many to-do’s on the plate. We tolerate a job that doesn’t challenge us. We tolerate the nagging tooth pain because it isn’t convenient to go to the dentist right now. We tolerate clothes that don’t fit.

Take a few moments to browse the landscape of your life. Consider some or all of these general categories or replace them with others that are more meaningful to you:

  • Career or Education/Academics
  • Money (Job or Obsession with)
  • Primary Relationship
  • Family and other meaningful relationships
  • Physical Environment/Household
  • Spirituality, Personal Growth, Alone Time
  • Health/Exercise/Sleep
  • Creativity
  • Fun and Recreation
  • Social Life

For each, ponder:

What do I tolerate here?
What would shift “tolerating” to “nourishing” or “enjoyment” or “ecstasy”?
What am I willing to risk?

When You’re Paddling Upstream

Sometimes life seems as if we’re canoeing upstream without a paddle.  Everything seems hard. Rocks appear to block our path. No forward movement is made. Exhaustion and fear take hold.

Sound familiar? If so, I invite you to try a new perspective. Consider one of these:

Change streams
Do an about face
Switch boats
Portage your canoe
Set up camp
Notice that “it’s not your journey to make”

Which perspective offers freedom?

The Gift of Awareness

Bring the gift of awareness into your day today. Choose a touchstone, a reminder, to keep with you all day long. Perhaps it is a ring on your finger, or clouds, or the act of walking through a doorway. Then, each time you see your touchstone, pause. Invite a message from each of your senses: sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell, intuition.

What is really here now?