Being Multi-hyphenate

Do you show up as a multi-hyphenate? For the longest time, I don’t think I did. I have always loved exploring new interests. When I would start the next thing, I would feel like I was at ground level – starting from ‘0’ again. 

But here’s the deal. There is no such thing as ‘wasted’ experience. We are all multi-hyphenates – in the roles we play and the experiences we gather. 

The skills I have learned as an admin, a parent, a design student, an intern, a mentor, a calligrapher, a wife, a coach and an entrepreneur, are all transferable. I’m better in any role, when I show up as my whole self. 

Design school was amazing for many reasons. The greatest of which didn’t reveal itself to me until many years later. Learning the technical aspects of your craft is always essential. But once knowledge equalizes us, what sets us apart is our trust in ourselves. I think that is true of any industry. It’s a trust that acknowledges that you are a limitless source, not a limited supply.

What if we always held the best parts of us close by? Instead of seeing how we might be lacking, let’s really use our whole arsenal of assets. Instead of compartmentalizing ourselves, let’s break down walls. Each of our unique backgrounds means we can each contribute to the world in a way no one else could. It doesn’t make anyone better or worse. It makes us all a gift.

So, I’ll say it again – what we believe matters. This many-hats lifestyle is not reserved for the famous. It lives within us all. 

How can you show up as your awesome multi-hyphenate self?