Multifaceted

Do you know what I hate most about growing up? It’s not the added responsibilities, extra work, or the seeming growing awareness of the social and environmental collapse surrounding us. Although, I’m not the biggest fan of any of those things either-- especially the social and environmental collapse. But no, it’s the idea that you can only be one thing.

Who is Madison? Oh, she’s a nursing student. Who is Madison? Oh, she goes to St. John Fisher. Who is Madison? Oh, she writes for the newspaper and has a blog. The older you become, I’ve noticed, the less you are defined by who you actually are and more by what you do.

I can’t even count how many people tell me I should give up on nursing to just become a full time writer, or how many people have told me I’m wasting my time writing because it’s not going to help my nursing career. When did we lose sight of doing things that we enjoy, solely because we enjoy them? When did nursing students become these robots that have to eat, sleep, and breathe biology. And when did it become mandatory for people who enjoy writing to become starving artists?

Anyone who knows me knows that I am definitely a very career oriented person and I purposely do things in the field of nursing both because I enjoy them and because I know they will look good on a resume. That’s what your supposed to do! But, the number of scoffs or snide comments I’ve received when I mention any of my many other interests seem to grow daily.

When did we decide that adults weren’t allowed to have other interests. It’s okay, and dare I say normal and healthy, to be a multifaceted individual. I have never been just one thing, and never will be. I don’t really think any of us are one thing, but I think there is an expectation that people feel they are supposed to be. Because, if you have another interest then you obviously don’t really love your other interests-- or so they say.

As children, we are encouraged to experience as much as possible and try all sorts of things. It’s expected. But starting in high school, you’re expected to focus up and pick one thing. Pick one thing that you will be solely passionate about until you retire at 65. That’s a pretty tall bill to pay-- maybe that’s why so many people struggle to figure out what they want to do. Imagine being 16 and firmly believing that you are picking the only thing you get to care about for the next 50 years. I’d freak out too!

In my senior yearbook, when they asked what my goals were I said “To live a happy and full life”. At that point, I knew I was going to nursing school and wanted to be a midwife and I firmly believed that I would make those things happen. And I still do. But, to sum my life goals down to that would be doing myself a serious disservice. In my future I hope to live a happy a full life, as a CNM and doing so much more. I hope to have rich experiences, travel the world, love often, and do the things that make me happy. For example, I don’t want to become a CNM (Certified-nurse Midwife) for the title-- but rather because women’s health and obstetrics makes me happy. It makes my life feel full. I love going to work. Shift the focus from what society’s goal for you is, to what your goal is.

So, no matter how many snide comments I will undoubtedly continue to get, I aim to live a life following my passions. Yes, with an “s”, meaning I have multiple. And sometimes those passions may even interlap-- they already have in several situations for me. In fact, in my experience, the other areas of your life will benefit and grow when you allow yourself to explore other things. I hope you don’t let people make you doubt yourself, or feel inadequate because you care about and enjoy multiple things. We’re only human, and all one can stand to do is what makes them happy.

Put less pressure on yourself. You're not a perfect square and neither am I. We're not supposed to be. We're messy with jagged and irregular edges, but, that is how we fit in so perfectly with so many different people. You never know who or what your puzzle piece will fit in next to. That's what makes it so fun (and frustrating)!

We are not one thing, and no matter how hard we try we never will be. A lot of people just lie to themselves and waste their own time acting like they can be one thing.

Worry less about what you're supposed to do, and worry more about what you want to do.