Who’s Defining Who: A Multifaceted Life
When people ask you “So what do you do?” does it make you cringe inside? Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s a great ice breaker and it’s not as loaded as it feels, but it makes my head spin because there is no feasible way to make that answer short. I have this thing about giving every single minute detail. Never. Miss. A. Thing. Maybe it’s the artist in me determined to paint the most precise picture I can or maybe it’s the slightest bit of insecurity I have about not having the most conventional journey, but whatever the reason is I never leave anything out. For me there has never been a straight and narrow road. Here’s the thing, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that we weren’t all meant to have one career, one job, or a straight path. I think that we all have a windy path with a bunch of rest stops along the way. And at each stop we pick up interests, skills and life experience. Some stops we stay a little longer than others but we're always taking something with us.
A long winded tidbit about me: I was born into a family of educators. That’s just what you did. Everyone on my mom's side of the family went into the teaching profession in some form or another. Honest, hard work, decent pay, great pension and Summers off, although, if there are any teachers out there reading this we all know the truth. Most teachers are lucky to have a solid three weeks to themselves thanks to that pesky task of keeping up your certification and teachers having the knack for over-committing. It’s a thing. They just can’t help it. And while popular opinion seems to have been that teachers have it “made in the shade”, I think there are a ton of parents (including me) home-schooling for the first time right now who are realizing just how tough teaching can be. And I only have one student! As a kid, and I think I speak for a lot of kids when I say it’s hard to imagine your teacher being anything other than a teacher. You left school and they were still sitting at their desk and you came back the next day and they were there in the same place you left them 17 hours earlier. Basically you thought they lived there and that cozy reading corner full of pillows was their makeshift bed. But, low and behold, you grew up and realized these people weren’t just teachers. They were, well, people. With hobbies and side gigs that actually turned out to be their passion. Teacher by day and chef by night. Or event planner, florist, painter, interior decorator... need I list more? Defined by our day job but really so much more.
Growing up I was among the many who thought you had this one career and this one occupation and you did that for the rest of your life. It was your identity. "Pick this one area of study and graduate and do this for the next fifty years." But then at some point along my path, with more rest stops that I can count, I realized that we don’t have to be that one thing. We can be all the things. I’ve had so many dreams, and ironically being a teacher was one of them, but also a floral designer, an event planner, an event decorator, a ceramicist, a baker in her own bakery, stay at home mama, and interior designer. And you know what? Some of those things came true!
I, like many of you have so many interests and have acquired random yet useful skills that being labeled as having one particular career limits our capabilities. It stunts our growth into being and doing all the things! I don’t know about you all, but at this point in my path I’m going to try and test and fail and succeed at all the things. And the next time someone asks me what I do I can say “I’m an explorer of my own path. I’m a mom, a wife, a teacher, a ceramicist, a special events designer, an inspiration influencer, a blogger, a small batch baker, a space beautifyer. Curating a multifaceted life well-lived .” Hopefully you all will be the teacher in your own lives, doing all the things you love to curate YOUR most loved and well-lived multifaceted life.
Until next week I challenge you all to write down at least 3 or more dreams, hobbies, skills things you’ve acquired along your path. Big or small. Have any of them come true? Have you used your acquired skills in any way that helped you accomplish something you are super proud of? Now is a great time to reflect and feel proud of all the things. Be well my multifaceted friends.
-Lindsey
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