Being a Multi-Hyphenate and Loving It

I am a minister, marketing director, event curator, entrepreneur, community convenor, spiritual counselor-in-training, and yogi. And I’m a black lesbian wife and mother. I live a multi-hyphenate life and love it. And the best part is, I am not alone. Nearly all of my friends and co-workers are multi-hyphenates as well. Our paths of service are just as varied and diverse as we are, creating a personal, local, and global impact.

• Minister - Artist - Poet
• Animal Chaplain - Author - Teacher
• Transformation Coach - Reiki Master - Social Worker
• Technology Specialist - Musician - Sacred Activist
• Psychotherapist - Retreat Facilitator - Mindfulness Teacher
• Scientist - Professor - Spiritual Counselor

We live in a time of choice, of our own choosing. It’s “This, And,” rather than “This, Or,” and there’s so much freedom in not compartmentalizing but incorporating and integrating all of ourselves, so that our passions can rightfully meet our vocation(s).

Jane of All Trades, Master of My Destiny

Long gone are the days of pressure to pick one career path and follow it to retirement, many times at the detriment of our joy. All of my senses come alive knowing that I don’t have to wait for the second-half of my life to live my best life now. It’s incredibly liberating to delve into different industries, hobbies, and interests without having to commit to just one field.

I didn’t always see the various layers of myself moving in sync. My career began when I stumbled across the magazine publishing industry via a temp agency. Over the years I took steps to climb the corporate ladder in the marketing department at different publications. I got my MBA and the salary, but I felt like I was living someone else’s life. I was working for four magazines at once, at the same salary, while hearing whispers that we were all lucky to have a job.

What Is Mine to Do?

Completely disenchanted with the monotonous cubicle life, I began to ask myself “What is my life’s work, and how do I want to serve?” Immediately I heard, “I want to serve as me.” Within months the publication drastically downsized and I was laid off. With my newfound time, I volunteered more at my spiritual center. I trained and became a minister. I traveled to Nepal and got certified as a yoga teacher. I helped market small businesses, and I pursued my hobbies of African drumming, cycling, and traveling internationally. I decided I was going to finally apply to work for a spiritual non-profit where I could incorporate my communications and marketing skills with my spirituality.

A few months later, I landed a wonderful position at One Spirit Learning Alliance, a spiritual non-profit that trains interfaith ministers, spiritual counselors, and emergent leaders. It’s a place that affirms and celebrates all of me, where I feel seen and heard in a radical integration of mind-body-spirit. I am blessed to meet and work with the most incredible multi-hyphenates from all walks of life and I’m always surprised by the creativity of their unique blend and path. Being part of the One Spirit community and as a current student in its Interspiritual Counseling program, I've learned that One Spirit sees the word minister more as a verb, not a noun. It’s not about a title, but how authentically our multifaceted selves show up to be of service in the world.

Jackpot.

To find out more about One Spirit Learning Alliance’s community and programs visit 1spirit.org.