As I approached the store, I felt as excited as a kid about to enter their favourite toy store. Only my “toy store” was the calendar shop’s end-of-year sale to buy my yearly “fix” of wall calendars for the new year.
As I walked through the doors, I visually surveyed the store, thrilled to see their huge selection. The Inspiration section caught my eye, so I browsed there first. Then I felt drawn to the Art and Design section, looking for a calendar from one of my favourite Art Nouveau artists, Alphonse Mucha, which they didn’t have. As the sales person walked by, I asked if they had Louise Carey’s PEACE calendar, my first choice for years. When she checked, sadly there was no 2016 version.
Observing How People Choose
A bit disappointed, I moved to the animal section to see what Elephant calendars they had. Then my eye was drawn to a fabulous Betty Boop calendar which I knew immediately was perfect for my kitchen wall. The Astrology and Fairy/Angel section were next. The fact the store was offering a buy two at 40% off and get one free, meant I would definitely be going home with three calendars.
It was interesting to observe other people as they walked in and appeared to know immediately which calendar they wanted to buy. Dog and cat lovers headed to that section. Automobile lovers headed to their section. Sports lovers to theirs. For me, with my wonder and curiosity for everything, it wasn’t going to be so easy to choose. Well, maybe it would be easy if I chose to buy a lot more than three.
What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?
My mind traveled back to when I was creating my new website and business card and how my good friend and art director/designer literally asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Meaning, what specialty do you want to feature on your card. His mantra is “clean and simple”. Hmm. “Well, do I have to choose just one thing?”
The famous quote “Jack of all trades, master of none” came to mind. I’d heard it many times in my life; that being a “generalist” made it harder to succeed in the business world. Then I remembered the hot new buzzword for people who have many passions and do multiple things in their lives. Multi-passionate.
Creating a New Word — Multifacetist©
Not one to ‘borrow’ someone else’s word, we took the idea and expanded it into a fun and conversation-starting branding idea. Being a writer and lover of neologisms (made-up words), my designer and I played around and came up with a totally unique one for me. Multifacetist©. The fact that many people cannot pronounce it, and need an explanation of what it means, doesn’t bother me, as it really does describe me perfectly. A person who has many facets to who they are. And who explores them all.
Most business coaches and marketing gurus stress focusing on one thing and doing it well, yet it has always been challenging for me to work this way. However, if I did have to choose just one…writing has always been “the thing” I’m known for. But so is being a trailblazer in the areas of health and nutrition, as anyone who’s read my book Confessions of a Middle-Aged Hippie knows. Our neologisms for these: Wordsmitherer© and HealthBlazer©.
But wait. I’m also a Whimsyist©, Inoutrovert© and an Elephant Crusader. A Cosmic Meanderer and Raconteur. A Re:Searcher©, Boundless Idealist and Truth Diviner. What’s a girl to do with all these parts that make up the whole?
Multifacetist© as a Messenger of Possibility
Why, write of course! Share ideas and be a ComplacencyShaker©. Allow the Soul Hippie and Peacenik in me to be a messenger of possibility through the written word. And of course through real person-to-person conversations, as I’m also a Conversational Sparkplug. It’s fun to see which words pop out at people when they first look at my business card too! It inevitably leads to an inspiring conversation.
Committing to Writing + Health
It’s not always easy, I admit. The world around me is just so darn—multifaceted. I understand the value of having a niche, although I’ve learned through personal experience that focusing on one thing isn’t the only way to be successful. It definitely is not the only way to be happy either. Especially when your creativity is fuelled from a multitude of different directions.
Yet here I am in a new year and I’ve committed to incorporate my key interests and passions into ways I can be of service to helping others. Writing, is the first way. As a Compassionist©, I know that everyone has a story to tell, yet not everyone can write it themselves. That’s how I would love to help others.
And through health and wellness, which is always a key focus for everyone. The self-professed guinea pig in me has tested my fair share of unconventional ways to shift paradigms when it comes to health and healing.
Learning Through Personal Health Challenges
Through years of personal health challenges and ongoing research and learning, I followed my intuition and transformed what I was told repeatedly were “impossible” odds. It was a natural progression for me to align with a dynamic professional health and wellness team to support people to elevate and optimize their own health.
Is it possible I’m more focused than I give myself credit for? Yes, I do dream big and take action on those dreams, yet I also continue to have faith that all the cosmic puzzle pieces are moving perfectly into place in Divine timing. The spiritual world is always there to support us when we trust in it and listen. It’s quite magical actually, as I believe my own life is proof of that.
So Many Choices
Back to my final calendar choices. After surveying the myriad of possibilities, I was able to narrow it down and choose just three. Yes, the Betty Boop one stayed in the mix, along with a whimsical fantasy calendar by Canadian artist Shawna Erback. My third choice was the Llewellyn’s Astrological calendar, which I knew instinctively would be a perfect guide for my Aquarian curiosity throughout the new year. Oh yes, I forgot. I’d already purchased an Illuminated Rumi calendar a few days before too. So many choices. In calendars and in life.
Being a Multifacetist© works for me, so I’m choosing to honour that is who I am and how I am ultimately most productive. In her newest book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert offers an invitation to the reader to “live a life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear”, which is exactly the kind of life I want to live. It makes sense for us all, don’t you think? Ultimately we all are unique and complex beings, with many parts that make up the whole. It’s really a matter of how we choose to express them.
If you’re ready to take the leap to WRITE your story or to take your health and wellness to the next level, let me know how I can help. As a gift, here’s a complimentary True Health Assessment to gain some insight into how healthy you really are. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Stay curious.
p.s. Let me know which words popped out for you when you looked at my business card graphic above. It might be a perfect conversation starter!
p.p.s. Thanks to my dear friend Roslyn Tanner Evans of Earth and Moon Design for her curiosity and suggestion that I write about life as a Multifacetist©.
Hi Beverley,
It is such a pleasure to connect with someone like you, so creative, passionate and a child at heart! I bet you had so much fun finding the right word for your website with your designer since you love creating new words! Much love!
Zaria
Thanks so much Zaria. I appreciate you reading and taking the time to comment. Yes, I do love new words and my designer and I had quite a lot of fun during the entire process! xo
Thanks so much Zaria! I really appreciate you visiting and commenting on this post. Yes, having many passions and wanting to share them, is the only way I know how to be in the world. It was fun to brainstorm with my creative designer, and I believe we came up with the perfect word for me! Much love coming your way too!
Ok, I absolutely loved this – and I didn’t think I would just looking at the title. When asked what I wanted to be, I always said “Writer”. But that’s not niched enough.
Shared, shared, shared! 😀
Glad you read on past the title of this post, Marie! It’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed it and it sounds like it resonated too. I think starting with “Writer” is just fine and then if you chose to niche out from there, go for it. Not everyone can be a writer, so see that as a great gift to share with others. That’s how I look at it. 🙂 Thanks for sharing too!
Beverley i relate to this, I know I like being multifaceted and in the past it has served me well. Recently I have seen it as a challenge and working through that right now. Food for thought, thank you xxoo
Having many facets to ourselves definitely has its challenges Suzie. I am also reassessing if and how it serves me, although I cannot image focusing on only one thing at a time. All the best with your exploration of how to keep your creativity alive and still have your many interests serve you well! Appreciate hearing that you can relate to it too. xo
Inspiring article Beverley. I think it’s wonderful that you’ve been able to spread your wings in so many different directions! Not everyone can do that. When I was coaching I met many people who flit around like butterflies in a garden and never stayed with one thing long enough to either learn or do anything with their passing fancies. Personally I have many interests, and in fact I’ve reinvented myself several times, but I can look back and see that my choices have all led me to this very happy place in my life. The beautiful thing is when we can make peace with whatever path we choose, right? Thanks for the great read!
As an air sign with 5 other planets in air, I definitely do my own fair share of flitting around, Marquita! I don’t know any other way of being, so I go with it and yet I still have enough earth in my chart to get things done, when they need to be done. I love hearing that you’ve also reinvented yourself many times in your life, and that you see how all the various incarnations of you, have led to where you are now. I do agree with your question. It is a beautiful thing when we can fully accept the path we’ve chosen…and make peace with it. Thanks so much for your lovely comment on this post!
I used to call myself an “intentional generalist.” Not so much any more, although I am majorly multi-dimensional, for sure.
Lovely post.
Thanks for sharing you (previous) “intentional generalist” moniker Sue! It resonates well with me as well. Appreciate your stopping by and your support!
Nice article, Beverley. Being a multifacetist is always good, as is to stay healthy and think about what you eat and what you do. 🙂
Thanks Katarina! Our lives definitely have many facets to them indeed. Exploring all the different parts of our whole, makes life as interesting as it is!
I personally love the Wisdom Sponge and the Complacency Shaker! Love those. While some say I’m scattered – I work better when I focus; though I appreciate those that work in all areas. I juggle a lot on my plate; though I focus on one thing at a time. It’s how I keep my Shiny Thing in line.
I”m glad to know I”m not the only one that likes to choose more than one calandar!!
Thanks so much Tamara! I love ComplacencyShaker and WisdomSponge too! I think you are both of those as well. I totally understand the value of being focused on one thing at a time, at least most of the time, although intuitively I also know when to switch it up to keep it all interesting. Sounds like you know yourself and what works for you best too! You are definitely not the only one who has a challenge choosing calendars either. I honestly could have chosen many more than three this year!
I can totally see it Beverley, you ARE a multifacetist… as I am… more of a Jane of all trades.. master of many, or at least that is what I always say!
Love that Kristen…”Jane of all trades”. Yes, I think most of us are multi-faceted and I just chose to make it into a noun that works for me. 🙂 Master of many is always good, yet you are very focused on the business you have created and do so well at too!
It’s a fun word, but holds a lot of meaning as well. Great post!
Thanks Ariel, glad you like the word. It does have a lot of multi-layered meanings indeed!
What a great post! I do like your new words, especially “multifacetist” – I think it might fit me, as well.
I’m also a calendar person. My family members know they will each receive one every year for Christmas.
In your graphic, the words that jumped out to me were grateful, creative, and inspired.
Thanks for your thoughts on being a multifacetist, Karen. I think many of us relate to this idea. Yes, calendars have been such a big part of my life too and choosing is half the fun. I’m sure your family love the choices you make for them! The graphic at the top isn’t mine, but love the words that popped for you. My business card is the word wallpaper in the middle of the post. 🙂
Hi Beverley,
Really enjoyed your post 🙂 I would say that to be “multifacetist” is a good thing because you can be multi-talented in more than one thing 🙂 Having knowledge on other things can only benefit you not just in your life but in your business as well.
But I can relate to focusing on just “one” thing as it may work out better for people.
Thanks for always sharing such “thought-provoking” posts my friend 🙂
Thanks so much as always Joan! Having lots of interests is a good thing, yet I also understand the value of choosing one at a time to focus on. I am happy I offered some food for thought in this post and I so appreciate your ongoing friendship and support. 🙂
What a post, Beverley! I so relate to having multiple interests – why must we choose ONLY one thing to do? To niche or not to niche, that is the question=> You are so in tune with what makes sense for you – wildly curious and imaginative.
As you know, Focus is one of my words for 2016 – what that means to me is that I’ll focus on the task at hand and not get distracted – if ideas come to me, I’m writing them down – still exploring, staying curious, and figuring out all that I’m meant to do in this world.
Thanks so much Deb and I love your “to niche or not to niche” comment. Yes, it can be challenging. Thanks for sharing the tip about focusing on one thing at a time and if a brilliant idea distracts you, just write it down and explore it after. I do flit around, I must admit that. At times I am very focused and find like you, it is necessary to remove the distractions while staying curious and exploring all the multitude of wondrous ideas that show up for us.
Nicely done, Beverley. Sometimes making up your own word or name is the only way to go. I have to claim FullGlassOptimist. And I’d like to offer StatusQuoBuster
Thanks so much Jane. Yes, a FullGlassOptimist is challenging at times, and yet I also don’t know any other way. Love your StatusQuoBuster. I totally resonated with that one too. Glad you enjoyed this post and thanks for adding your offering too!
“Jack of all trades, master of none” I remember the first time someone said that to me. I felt it was so insulting. I prefer to think of myself as having an inquiring mind. I like the words multi-dimensional, global thinker and myth buster. Thanks to you I’ll be expanding my vocabulary of personal descriptives.
Glad to hear that you also find that being called a “Jack of all trades….” a bit insulting, as some of us are just built that way. Love your words too and look forward to hearing your expanded personal descriptives. Yes, to Myth Buster for me as well.
Your multifacetist definition makes me say that the idea is not to try and define/label everybody, but to just be and accept others for what they are, with their multiple and sometimes crazy interests and passions included.
Yes, some have success by learning to do something extremely well while others continue to be more of a generalist. Yes, success can be defined in different ways, it’s just what it is.
Conversational Sparkplug and Essayist popped at me when I looked at the interesting card, Bev! I guess that says something 🙂 Continue to be YOU!
I love that Conversational Sparkplug and Essayist jumped out for you, Delia. I do see them both in you in some ways.:) I agree with you that the key is always to be who we are and that being a generalist can work in the same way that being highly focused and specific can. Appreciate your support, and I love your closing comment as a powerful mantra: “Continue to be YOU!”
I’m loving complacency shaker! I do see everywhere that you must be the master of one thing and I’m sorry, that’s just not for me. I have an overarching theme which revolves around helping people bring their dreams and ideas into reality and under that umbrella is helping business women and helping people express themselves through art. With those two themes, they are broken down another level which becomes more specific. It keeps me in check, I stay focused and attract the right people.
Here’s to being a ComplacencyShaker Gisele! It is a big one for me and sounds like you might be one too. I like how you expressed your many facets. The overarching theme you have is very similar to me, only I am bringing that to others through writing and health and nutrition. I love that you’ve broken it down even further, which is maybe what I haven’t quite mastered just yet. I am at the theme stage with the main tentacles that flow out from it. Thanks for the food for thought on honing my focus for this year.
Writer and boundless idealist were the words that popped out for me in your graphic. I think it’s so important to be in tune with all the different aspects of your personality so you can nurture them and learn from them, maybe even discover hidden talents. I found it really interesting to hear your views on finding your niche – something I can’t seem to do as it would stifle creativity for me. Your calendars sound lovely. Do you write in all of them?
That is very interesting Tami. I believe you might be both a writer and a boundless idealist in your own life. Like you, I feel it is mandatory for me to explore all my interests and all the things that excite me creatively. Glad you enjoyed my calendar choices too, and no I hang them in various places in my house (kitchen, bedroom etc.) and hadn’t even thought of writing in them. It sounds like you do. 🙂
I think it’s wonderful that you’ve given everyone such an honest open glimpse at who you are. Too many times, I believe, people wear a mask in business which creates the opposite of what they are trying to create. My daughters, my very intelligent, unique, wonderful daughters are very much as you describe being a multifacetist. They are both very talented in the arts (music, writing, dancing) but also very sharp when it comes to analytics, organizing, etc. Personally, I think being an entrepreneur allows you to dip into all your talents! 😉
Thanks so much for your support Lisa. Sounds like your daughters are truly multifacetists, and exploring all the part of who they are too. I have a business/marketing degree so am also quite business oriented, although I much prefer the creative side of business given the chance. The generation our children are in, is so different than the generation I grew up in. They seem to find it natural to have many interests and are okay without focusing on just one. And yes, I agree with you. Being an entrepreneur does ask us to include as many of our talents as possible, to be successful!
A Renaissance woman! I just love this, Beverley. And I understand. While writing is my “thing,” I’m passionate about a handful of other pursuits as well.
Sometimes it’s a challenge to piece everything together, as you say, “focusing on one thing isn’t the only way to be successful. It definitely is not the only way to be happy either. ”
Thank You!
Thanks for your support for this post, Susan! Yes, so many of us have a variety of passion and yet, for many reasons, people often chose just one. I know you love writing and also wine and also breeding dogs. You are also a multifactist© and as you’ve indicated, balancing all these parts of the whole, can often be challenging. You are welcome too. Glad some thing in this piece resonated for you.
I like Multifacetist, Beverley, and frankly speaking, I’m not surprised. That’s a true blue Aquarian – my Dad was one too and we often teased him for being Friend of the World and always showing us the other side of the argument when we went to him for a pity party. Keep being You – because You are Youer Than You!
Can one say TrueYouist? 😉
What an interesting observation about us Aquarians, Vatsala! Yes, we are the humanitarians of the Zodiac always curious about the world around us and wanting to make it better. It must have been fascinating for you to have an Aquarian father. Thanks for the encouragement to keep being Me and I love your neologism…TrueYouist! Brilliant. 🙂
It’s great that you were able to observe your process. Not many people can do that. Thanks for sharing.
The words that pop out for me are “cloud mediator” and “Boundless Idealist”. I’m not sure why though.
Thanks for sharing this lovely post.
By observing the things that pop out for people, always says a lot about them. Maybe looking at how Cloud Meditator and Boundless Idealist resonate in your own life will open something new for you to explore about yourself, Sabrina. 🙂 Thanks so much and happy you enjoyed this post too!
Yes, I usually do advise that a person focus on one specialty but, and you and I have had this conversation before, I also insist that each business is unique. You have thought it through and found your way. Multifacetist is a perfect word for you. What popped out for me was Action Taker and Inquiring Mind. Love the calendars. My fave each year is the one my son always gives me – bright and unusual frogs. I’ve always loved frogs. So much so that I brought some home in a shoe box from the lake we visited when I was little. Didn’t work out well for the frogs. Great article, Beverley.
Being that you are both an Action Taker and an Inquiring Mind, makes sense those words popped for you, Beth. 🙂 Love that you have a passion for frogs and I know many people do. Every time I would buy an elephant somewhere, I saw all the frog options too. Sorry your “bring a frog home” experiment didn’t work too well. I guess a wonderful frog calendar each year will take its place. Glad you enjoyed this article too!
What a fun article to read, to follow the flow of your journey and your way of being. I can with resonate with much of this. The graphic at the topic was an eye-catcher. Nice for a business card, I am inspired by this and holding onto the the ‘joyful’ today.
Thanks so much Teresa and glad you found this piece fun to read! The graphic at the top isn’t actually mine; my business card is the word wallpaper with my logo and multifacetist© on it. Glad that “joyful” jumped out for you, regardless of the graphic it popped from.
I’ve been thinking a lot of how I want to respond to you and all I can say is to just continue to be yourself. We are all unique and just possibly some people have even more uniqueness than others. You have marched to the beat of your own drum for all your life and will continue to do so. People are drawn to you and are stimulated by the gift you are. So pleased you gave us an iside glimpse to you personally and to all your facets.
Coming from you Roslyn, that support is very appreciated. We are all unique and yet so often people believe they have to “choose” only one thing to focus their attention on. As a “1”, that is true about me marching to the beat of my own drummer, as it is the number of the trailblazer. It’s often lonely, yet it is the only way I know to be me. I appreciate hearing that people are drawn to me and that they get me and my gifts too, as sometimes I do wonder. Thanks again for the suggestion to write about being a multifacetist© and happy our enjoyed the inside peek too.
Beverley – besides all the left brain AND right brain advantages of being multifacetist, I think it just makes for a well rounded person when we explore various interests. Disregard any dissenters who may call us scatter-brained or unfocused. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the best, most talented individuals of ANY occupation are people who are well rounded.
Love your response Joan! I sense you just might also be a “multifacetist” in your own life. It is so much fun to explore all of our many parts, and I don’t take the dissenters too seriously, although often I wonder how someone chooses just one thing to focus on. The well rounded person is indeed someone who is willing to engage their right brain creative side and their left brain analytical side. The world is moving more in the direction of the creatives, so I think you and I are well positioned, just as we are.