There’s this unspoken pressure that if you’re involved in a lot of things, you must be drowning in chaos. And historically? Maybe I was. I used to wear “busy” like it was a personality trait — juggling work, school, multiple businesses, volunteering, and trying to have a life in between. But over the past year, I realized something important:
Being multi-passionate doesn’t have to mean being overwhelmed.
It just means you need a system, a boundary, and a sense of direction.
I spent most of 2025 overextending myself, saying yes before thinking, scrolling instead of resting, and planning the next thing without appreciating the thing right in front of me. I was always one step ahead of my own life. And that’s just downright… exhausting.
2026 is different. Not perfect — just more intentional.
The Truth About Wearing Many Hats
Here’s what no one tells you:
Being a multi-passion human means you are always going to have competing priorities. There is always one more idea, one more project, one more opportunity. And if you don’t build a filter for your time and energy, you’ll be spread so thin you can’t enjoy any of it.
Some of my hats look like this:
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Consulting & Operations
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Tuliptree Book Co. (online + mobile bookstore launching this spring – surprise!)
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Tuliptree Adventures (travel advising under FORA)
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Notary/RON work in WI
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Graduate certificate coursework
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Volunteer work
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Reading, traveling, and bowling because I actually want a life, believe it or not.
It’s a lot — but it’s aligned. And aligned work doesn’t drain you the same way scattered work does.
Energy Over Time
I used to think time management was the answer. “If I could just organize my schedule better, everything would magically work.” Spoiler: it didn’t.
What changed everything was understanding energy management.
Some tasks take two hours but feel like ten. Some take ten minutes and energize you for the rest of the day. Once I stopped forcing my brain to operate in ways it didn’t want to, things started clicking.
If something drains me every.single.time, I either automate it, delegate it, or eliminate it. No guilt attached.
The Three-Column Rule I Use Now
When I’m planning my week, I don’t start with tasks. I start with categories:
1. What moves me forward
(Tuliptree Book Co, Tuliptree Adventures, client operations, coursework)
2. What maintains my life
(bills, home tasks, appointments, admin, health)
3. What brings me joy
(reading, traveling, bowling, downtime with Luna)
If something doesn’t fit into one of these, it’s usually a distraction.
Clarity is a game changer.
What I Had to Learn the Hard Way
Here’s the part that’s not glamorous:
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Saying no is a skill
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Being available 24/7 is not a personality trait
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Rest is not optional
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“Doing it all” is a lie, but “doing what matters” is real
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You can’t grow if everything is urgent
Once I stopped reacting to everything and started choosing my priorities, life felt a lot more manageable.
What’s Working for Me Right Now
Just to be practical, here are a few things keeping me balanced:
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Phone boundaries (screen limits, intentional use, especially during work blocks)
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Broken down goals, not just one big one
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Weekly reset rituals (laundry, clean space, set intentions)
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Monthly reviews of finances, goals, and workload
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Non-negotiable downtime, even if it’s 20 minutes with a book
I don’t always stick to it perfectly — but it’s a foundation. And I feel the difference.
Building a Life You Don’t Need to Escape From
The goal isn’t to be productive every second.
The goal is to build a life that feels good when you wake up in the morning — not just one that looks impressive on paper.
Having multiple passions isn’t the issue.
Trying to carry them without intention is.
So here’s my challenge to you:
What are the 3 things you care about most right now? And are you giving them real energy, or just leftover energy?
Because there really is a big difference.
🤍