Renaissance Soul: How to Make Your Passions Your Life - A Creative and Practical Guide

Are you a Renaissance Soul? To find out, answer the following questions with a "Yes" or a "No":Do you find a lot of different things interesting/worthwhile?When you really understand how something works, where it fits, &/or how to do it, do you lose interest?Do you hate that there's an expectation for just one answer to the question, "What do you want to do when you grow up?"Do you find it almost impossible to describe what you're going to be doing in 5 years in singular?Do you have a tough time choosing?After a year or two at working in one place, do you get the itch to move on?Answered "Yes" to at least 4 of these questions? Then you're a Renaissance Soul - just like me & a ton of other Creatives!I give The Renassiance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One by Margaret Lobenstine an A+ and a smiley face sticker. It was so refreshing to finally find someone who accepts - no, encourages! - those with many passions to incorporate them all into their life on their own terms. That's one of the foundations of my coaching practice, so I obviously ate this book right up, and subsequently have recommended it to almost every one of my creative clients.Ms. Lobenstine starts the book off by acknowledging the fact, from the time we're young, most of us have had the message of "get a stable, steady, singular job" drilled into our heads over & over & over again by our parents, our teachers, our mentors & even our friends. It's the norm, the status quo, the end all & be all to a "successful" life. Even if you come from a family that supports hoofing it to Broadway or opening a virtual store to sell the dog sweaters you knit, there's usually still a voice in our ear telling us to find "something to fall back on" or to "find a plan & stick with it." The consensus is that you'll be a failure if you decide to split your focus, or you don't pursue one straight path. But what if the dog sweater knitter was also a great art teacher? Or loved yoga? Or had a super green thumb? Should she, because she decided to open her own Etsy shop, cut off the other passions in her life? Or should she close up shop & pursue the passion that would provide the biggest, most stable income?The author says, "No", & to that I say, "Amen"! But what rocks is that she doesn't say it in an idealistic way - thus encouraging this particular woman to be a dog sweater knitter/art teacher/yogi/botanist all at the same damn time. Instead, she leads you through exercises to see what you might want to enjoy as a hobby and what you might want to pursue for financial value. She offers time management suggestions, like picking only four Focal Points so you don't get overwhelmed or scattered or bored. She explores many different career options for Creative Souls, like an umbrella job that encompasses your many interests, or two jobs that can be pursued simultaneously but compliment each other. Possible roadblocks are acknowledged (perfectionism anyone?) & then knocked down. There are also exercises for you to differentiate your values to the ones that have been bestowed on you, to set your intentions, to figure out your Focal Points & manage your schedule, etc.

This is a nice piece of work. The book does spend far more time than I wanted justifying the multitude-of-interests person. But it was quick reading at the beginning so not much of a burden.There are some exceptional insights here, and some wonderful tactics for dealing with your range of interests.The introductory exercises (Five from Fifty = prioritizing, Many Circles = weighting, Birthday Party = accomplishments) can help clarify things for those caught in the mire of doing. Clarifying your interest, no matter how many there are, is an important aspect of this work.I particularly like the idea of Focal Points - temporary assignments you give yourself in order to have the freedom to learn or accomplish.Reverse flowcharts are great in that they force you to see what you are doing that gets in your way. Basically think of how you can ensure something will not happen - there you go, many times that's what you're doing.I think the concept of Four Frames - which is applied to volunteering - can be used in a far greater sense as well. Not simply limited to convincing a potential volunteering opportunity, but if you look at your larger goals, and your place in your journey - this approach can be used to convince your spiritual self what it is you want to contribute, and why that would be a good thing for all.The crux of the entire message of the book is "I'd love to help you feel fulfilled rather than overwhelmed."The author states "Renaissance Souls work best when we can match our activities to our energy flow." I think this is true for everyone, but it isn't something we value in the US all that much (instead we're told to bang our heads for 14 hours and meet that deadline, many times producing a lower quality result). So, without having a specific prescription for each moment of your day, the approach here allows you flexiblity in choice based on your motivations at that time. Yes, balanced planning - I've been waiting for someone else to say it.My favorite story in the entire book is the one on Mozart, and his pursuing his purpose, becoming what he could be in the midst of all else going on. The author weaves an intricate connection about how this benefited so many others than if he were to try and be something he were not. Very nice... "One of the best things you can do for other Renaissance Souls is to keep growing." And I would add, the best thing we can do for all beings.Toward the end of the book I felt the work there was less inspired. It focused on examples, whereas I think a book works much better if at the end it brings us back up to that higher-purpose and leaves us with lofty placement. We end on a real high then.

For creative souls who are very torn between choosing so many creative channels to express, a brilliant book to read.

Erg goed boek voor multipotentialists en iedereen met heel veel goede Ideen en te weinig tijd. Hier heb je wat aan!

Es una gran ayuda para todas las personas que son almas del renacimiento. Tiene consejos y mucha información útil para aprovechar nuestro potencial.

Greta book for people who are any stage of thinking through their life , the choices , their purpose and possible next steps- suits those that never really fit in a box, get bored easily or need some practical ideas about how to rejig their career. This book has lots of insights and practical ideas that you can apply while getting to know yourself a little more and carve out a life and life style that is right for you

Consigliato a tutte le persone che si divertono a sperimentare cose sempre diverse, ma spesso senza riuscire a dare una struttura ai loro "vagabondaggi".