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I’ve never felt happier in my life, and at the same time, my path has never looked more… diverse? than it does now. I’m not doing just one thing, not working towards one specific career path or goal, not focusing my energy all in one place, but instead, incorporating many things, many career paths, many passions and hobbies and interests and goals all at once.
It’s not the traditional path accepted by society; the path that tells us to choose just one thing, one recognized career, one stable life plan, and stick with it for the rest of our lives. This path feels different. It might not be the most linear or efficient or ‘successful’ way of doing things. And yet — my life has never felt more full. Each one of these seemingly unrelated things, completely separate on their own, coming together to form one big whole. A feeling of completeness within myself. And although I’m doing many things at once, my energy doesn’t feel scattered or drained. In fact, I’ve never felt more energized, more inspired, more excited about life, because every one of the things I’m doing lights me up inside.
I used to think the more successful my life looked on the outside, the happier I would be on the inside. Now, I realize the more “successful” my life feels on the inside, the happier I am, both internally and externally. Feeling creativity expressed, balanced, on purpose, and acknowledged for my work makes me feel lit up inside — and this feeling up lit up-ness is what brings joy into my life. The list of things that light me up may look different from yours, but neither lists are wrong. What lights you up is what is right for you. We cannot take someone else’s definition of success as our own. We must create one for ourselves instead.
I no longer believe living a life of fullness comes from following the path our culture deems successful, but instead choosing the one that lights us up inside, and makes us feel alive. This path is unique to each person. What lights you up may look like one thing in particular, or it may be many different things over the course of your lifetime. No matter what messaging you received around choosing one career and sticking with it, one purpose and sticking with it, one life path and sticking with it, the truth is: we don’t have to choose. We can try it all, continuously moving towards whatever lights us up, dipping in and out of multiple things, whether it be over a span of many years or trying them all at once.
Having many passions, and being multifaceted, does not make you a scattered person. Dipping your toes into many different careers, hobbies, or passions does not make you any less successful than focusing on one thing all at once — so long as the things you choose to do continue to light you up. Because what lights us up feeds us, nourishes us, energizes us, gives purpose and meaning and life to our lives. Continuing to stick with something that no longer lights us up is draining, exhausting, and energy depleting, erasing this purpose and meaning and life from our lives.
These days, I’m more multifaceted than I ever have been: practicing as a Holistic Nutritionist, running my sustainable Airbnb, working at a health food store part-time, writing this newsletter every morning, and creating content for social media on occasion… and yet, my life feels energized, nourished, balanced, and full in all the best of ways. Doing many things that light us up is life giving, while doing one thing that no longer lights us up is life draining. You are allowed to be multiple things at once, so long as each one of these things lights you up.
May you have the strength to move towards what lights you up.
May you have the wisdom to move towards what lights you up.
May you have the courage to do what lights you up.
From my heart to yours, thank you for reading Hannah’s Haus. If you feel connected to my work, please let me know by tapping the heart to like the post, commenting with your thoughts below, and sharing this post with someone else who might enjoy it.
Needed this reminder, thank you Hannah!