What I Wish I Knew 3 Years Ago About Being Multi-Passionate
Have you ever looked back at a version of yourself and thought, "Wow, I wish I could give her a hug and tell her it’s all going to work out?" That’s exactly what this post is: a love letter to the version of me who was just beginning to realize how deeply multi-passionate and neurodivergent she really was—and had no idea what to do with that.
I organized this post into three parts:
Part I - I’m sharing where I was 3 years ago, the limiting beliefs and struggles I was dealing with at the time.
Part II - How I discovered I was neurodivergent & multi-passionate, and how this impacted me.
Part III - I’m talking about where I am today, my approach, and things that I’m doing differently, to be in better alignment with myself.
If you're also navigating life as a highly curious, sensitive, intuitive human who doesn't fit into one neat box, this post is for you.
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PART I: Where I Was Three Years Ago
Three years ago, I had no idea that I was multi-passionate or neurodivergent. I was living in a box I didn’t know I had climbed into. I chased traditional success—straight from art school into the workforce. I stayed busy trying to be a competitive designer. I believed I had to choose one path to be taken seriously. I thought success meant mastery in one thing, before moving on to the next.
And underneath it all? I was burnt out, bored, and deeply under-stimulated in a day job that didn’t feel aligned. I thought building a business would be my golden ticket to freedom. So, I quit. But what came next wasn’t ease—it was pressure.
I had no plan, just a deep longing to be free. I suddenly had all this time and no safety net. That pressure to succeed became a huge weight. I wasn’t just trying to build a business anymore—I was trying to prove to myself (and everyone else) that I could make this creative life work.
That version of me didn’t have the full picture yet. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just pick one thing and stick to it. I didn’t know what questions to ask or where to get help. I just knew the traditional path wasn’t working.
Lesson I wish I knew then: Give yourself space to explore before demanding results. Get clear on your values, what’s important to you? Document your curiosities. Trust the creative cycles. You don’t have to monetize or master everything. Just pay attention and notice.
PART II: The Growth Season
This season was full of exploration, experimentation, and some much-needed soul-searching. I had stepped away from the art world’s linear hustle. No more chasing big-name clients or obsessing over a perfect portfolio. But stepping away didn’t feel like freedom at first—it felt like failure.
Instead of forcing it, I leaned into what lit me up: personal growth, psychology, journaling, healing, and expressive creativity. I took classes just for fun. I started noticing my energy patterns, tuning into my intuition, and allowing myself to make messy, playful, ugly art.
That’s when everything changed. I took a class with Lauren Sapala (a wonderful mentor who teaches INFJ creatives) and learned about neurodivergence and being multi-passionate. Her words hit me like lightning.
That’s me. That’s literally me.
It cracked something open in me. I started seeing my whole life differently. Every "failure," every change of direction—it all made sense through this new lens. I wasn’t broken. I was just wired differently.
Lesson I wish I knew then: You don’t need to keep forcing a path that no longer feels right. Giving yourself permission to quit, pivot, or pause is powerful. Exploration isn’t avoidance—it’s self-trust in action. Living authentically often means unlearning and slowing down enough to notice what’s important to you.
PART III: The Integration Season
Fast forward to today: I’m more in tune with my intuition, grounded in my creative cycles, and far less interested in perfection. I’ve replaced rigid planning with curiosity, and I’m building a life that aligns with my energy and joy.
I stopped trying to fix myself. I let go of the idea that healing has to be constant. I finally have space to just exist. To rest. To play. To start things like this podcast (which I dreamed of for years but never felt "ready" for).
One of my most healing practices I discovered along the way? Making ugly art on purpose. Letting go of the need to impress, to perform, to be perfect. I used finger paints. Glitter. Materials that felt childish but reminded me how to have fun. I let it be messy. It was so liberating.
Lesson I wish I knew then: You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. You can define success on your terms. You can live in alignment with your natural rhythms. You can trust yourself.
A Few Final Reminders For You:
It takes time to unpack your unique flavor of neurodivergent, multi-passionate creativity.
You can do everything—just not all at the same time.
You don’t need permission to do what you want. You already have it. Start now.
Take It to Your Journal
Now it’s your turn, here is a journaling prompt to help you explore this topic deeper:
What is one thing you want to explore to better align with your true nature?
Feel free to DM me over on Instagram and let me know what came up for you with this prompt. I always like to hear how others are navigating their own journey’s.
Until next time, stay creative!
Renata is a creativity coach empowering neurodivergent and multi-passionate women of color, to use creativity as a tool for self-discovery and healing, so they can let go of feeling inadequate and insecure and start experiencing more confidence and self-acceptance. She’s currently offering a free copy of her therapeutic art making workbook when you sign up for her email list. Sign up here to get your free copy.
