The other day a friend was asking me some questions about her photography brand – “Should I change my name to this?” “Should I choose this website domain?” – Her questions were all related to branding, something I’ve loved since I was 19 years old. And as we were chatting and I was giving her some insight, she made the comment, “I had no idea you enjoyed this kind of stuff!”
The day before that, I had designed and launched a website for a different photographer and my best friend had the audacity to ask “WHY ARE YOU NOT DOING THIS AS YOUR JOB!?”
Oh, to pick ONE thing I’m passionate about…
For the last 8 years, I’ve done photography-mainly weddings-as my main source of income. And I’ve had fun. But recently, I’ve begun to realize how many other things I picked up on the side in those 8 years. I’ve created 5-10 different brands for other people, 4 businesses (one coming soon & one with a friend), coached photographers, photographed the sweetest clients, been a contracted editor for multiple photographers, created 5-10 website designs, and given my time and energy to SO many people that I love by giving them my creative business advice and insight so that they will be successful in doing what they love.
And tonight, it hit me.
I’m multi-passionate and that’s okay.
You see, being multi-passionate feels like a crime in the entrepreneurial world. You’re told to niche down, find one thing, stick to it, and grow exponentially. And while that’s all good advice that has worked for me for years, I believe I’m done with living up to the standard that someone else has set, according to what their version of success looks like.
Who’s to say you can’t succeed by doing many things?
What I am not saying : Do more with less commitment to each thing you do.
What I AM saying : Do what you love, even if that’s many things, and do it with all you’ve got.
The Proverbs 31 Woman
A few months ago, I dove deep into Proverbs 31 with my favorite commentary. Honestly, I believe the Holy Spirit led me there because He knew what my life was going to look like in the near future. I sat down and studied the Proverbs 31 woman in detail like I never had before.
I’ve read Proverbs 31 a lot over the course of my life, but I have never identified with all she is described as until I truly sat down and read every word that day.
Here are a few things I concluded as I studied scripture alongside the Commentary :
- She is virtuous with power, strength, and full of mental energy.
- She is set apart by her willingness to do cheerful service.
- She is forward thinking, thoughtfully investing her creativity and hard work for her family’s future.
- She is constant, reliable, and permanent with a character of integrity.
- She is a woman of great compassion.
- She makes things for herself and enjoys the pleasures of this world from the Lord.
- She is rare and valuable, but her worth is greater than what she does.
- She is ready for challenges and adversity.
- She acts as a watch tower over her family and her people.
- “It is her fear of Yahweh that enables her to see that real greatness will come to her…through godly devotion and the wholehearted commitment to God’s creational intention for her.” (Phillips, Enduring Word Commentary)
You see, the woman described in this scripture is a woman of many roles, many talents, many responsibilities, many passions. She does what is honorable to her season, her people, her Lord. She is a woman that does much, with all glory and fear unto the Lord.
That’s the kind of woman I want to be.
I want to be a woman who provides, loves, is creative, is hardworking, is hands on, is innovative. I want to be a wife and mom who is at rest in her home, but gleams passion in her work. Who employs people and manages well. Who honors the Lord with each and every thing that she does.
What I don’t want to be is someone who gets burnt out, who is a slave to her schedule, who let’s the stress of work carry over into her home. Much of which I was doing by investing all my energy into one job.
So, in being that woman, I am allowing myself to venture out. To do the things I love-of many facets-with passion, for the sake of stewarding what the Lord has set before me.
Moving forward, I’ll be a girl who chooses daily what that looks like, based on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Because truly, what a boring life it would be for a creative entrepreneur like me, who’s been blessed with many talents, to do the same job my entire life. How many more lives I will be able to touch with a title of Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur!
With that said, I’d like to move forward as Kaitlin Haines Creative. A creative entrepreneur who holds value in serving clients well in multiple areas of business and life. I want to serve business owners with the value of web-design, brand and logo creation, and business and marketing education. I want to continue to serve clients who are celebrating exciting moments in life and want them documented through timeless photographs. I want to serve women with encouragement and the Word of God at The Refined Sisterhood. I want to serve women who enjoy beautiful things and value fashion through the clothing I sell at IMMADE.
And most importantly, I want to do each of these things unto the Lord. I want to honor Him with all of it. And I want to break away each day and bring joy and peace into my home, resting in the beauty of being a wife, mom, and homemaker for the glory of God.
If you’re one of the lives I get to touch, know that it is an honor to have you in my space.
My Encouragement
I mostly wrote this for myself, and for those that are interested in where “Kaitlin Haines Photography” is going for now. But if you’re here just because you are interested in me, and what it means to be multi-passionate, I am grateful you’re here and that you took the time to read these words!
If you’re burnt out, can’t choose a career, are having a hard time niching down, or are just simply filled with multiple gifts that you don’t know what to do with, know that you’re not alone! It’s okay to be in those seasons, because they yield growth. You will eventually know where you’re going. And you may eventually change careers, do multiple jobs, or do the one thing that sets your soul on fire. And the seasons of “I don’t know” and “what if” are some of the most character building, spiritually challenging parts of my story that have led me to where I am right now. And they’ll lead you there, too.
Be patient and lean into Jesus. I promise you will find rest there, and be led exactly to the people you’re meant to serve with your passions, talents, and gifts.
xx,
Kait
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