Build resilience by being impossible to define

Humans contain multitudes. No one can be defined by one title, label, or part of themselves, nor should they.

I came across an episode of the Rich Roll show that talked about the importance of having multiple identities.

This is the human soul equivalent of not putting all your eggs in one basket.

By having multiple parts of yourself and your life that you nurture and give energy to, you naturally become more resilient. When one area of your life hits a rough patch, you don’t fall apart, because you have other sources of meaning to lean on.

For me, my identities are writer, artist, beekeeper, freelancer, caretaker of animals, wife and friend. When something in my life challenges one of those areas of my life, I don’t fall apart and lose myself. Instead, I see it as an opportunity to give more energy to the other facets of my life.

This is such an important concept, especially in a world where “personal branding,” keywords and labels are so prevalent. You don’t have to pick one thing and pursue it relentlessly. In fact, you’re more likely to be a successful, well rounded individual if you have multiple interests and sources of meaning and value. Diversify!

Anna Howard of Wild Geese spoke about this in relation to her own career and acting dreams. The usual advice is that if there is anything else you can see yourself doing, you shouldn’t pursue acting. As Anna says, the working actors she knows are successful not despite their multiple interests, but because of them. (Anna’s show is one my favorites. If you enjoy my content, I think you’ll like hers, too.)

What identities do you carry, and how can you nurture those today?

I talk about this more in episode 10 of my podcast, Creative Mode. Listen here: