Hey Diva.
Welcome to another beautiful day!
Today’s topic will be the first in our #TipTuesday series where I get to share tips that have helped me navigate different aspects of my life. I don’t have all the answers but I will be sharing from my heart; I hope the tips help you make better choices.
I have been on a journey all my life; a journey of identity, understanding purpose, and living out my unique assignment. I have failed a lot at things I once thought was my assignment. I have always been one that has been drawn in all directions by multiple interests. And many times, these interests are not connected based on how society defines it. For example, I enjoy cooking (though I am not a patient cook…lol), I have an eye for photography, I draw/paint and sometimes I design outfits ( I think I love it enough to learn to sew) on the other hand, I love to work with children and teenagers, I write and I love the corporate world. Now, that is a lot and I haven’t exhausted my list of interests.
I know I am not the only one on this table. You may be too; that is why I am sharing with you what has helped me. These can give you insight on how to navigate your journey.
Let’s dive in.
- Understand the phase of life you are in: What this means is that at different points in your life, you will be drawn to different things per time. For example, the period between your secondary school and the first year in the university may not be the best time to focus on building a successful romantic relationship. It will be a complete distraction to be caught in the web of “what does John think of me… i think Ola likes me…”
What is best in that period will be to focus on developing yourself: understanding what you like and dislike, what your values are, what career suits your personality etc. All I am saying, in essence, is that the phase you are in determines what you should focus on. At this point in your life, it will help to develop healthy self-esteem, build competence around the career you want to pursue, develop a solid relationship with God, have a strong sense of calling/ purpose. If there are things you are interested in that don’t help you achieve any of the above, you should probably not be involved in them.
- Jack of All Trade Syndrome: We live in a generation where a lot of things are in vogue. With this, you find so many young people going with the trend rather than focusing on what truly defines them. The jack of all trade syndrome is the illusion that you can be so many things at once.
While there is something called being a multipotentiality (This is an educational and psychological term referring to the ability and preference of a person, particularly one of strong intellectual or artistic curiosity, to excel in two or more different fields.), it is important to prioritize mastery in one at time.
Start with one interest, develop competence in it, then move to the next. - Find where ALL your interests CONNECT: I believe every gift, interest, and skill serves a bigger purpose- God’s purpose. It is important to understand from God’s perspective why you will be drawn to so many things. When you seek God for guidance, you will see that one of your interest, connects all the other interests.
For example, I have realized that I am a CREATOR. I am drawn to things and interests that get me to make things. This explains my interest in art, business, and people. My understanding of this helps me know what to prioritize, and know what to say no to.
Take your time to reflect on what truly matters to you, what interests will help you achieve that CORE and then be ready to commit to it (them).
- Show Up with your BEST foot forward: What this means is that while you are trying to figure out what should be your topmost priority, don’t ignore the things you are responsible for NOW. Things like your relationship with God, your academics, your relationship with members of your family, your emotional and financial intelligence, etc. Gradually move from the things you know to the unknown.
Ensure that you wake up each morning with the understanding that it is in your capacity to DO your best with all you have and know at the moment. Excuses and distractions are easy so don’t lose track!
Discussion Questions
- What tip stood out for you and why?
- What are the multiple things you are interested in? Do you know how they are connected?
- How can I support you today moving forward?
Reblogged this on Bethel's Journal.
The third tip on finding where all your interests lie stood out for me to a large extent. I have quite some interest in medecine, children, girls, written art, music and so much more but with this I’ve been able to realize I can connect about 5 of them into one. The point of focusing on each interest based on your phase in life also hit me hard. That way, now I know I have to give my medecine career some more attention cause I won’t have this time again to give it.