I Thought I Had to Pick One

Clarity is overrated. Wholeness matters more.

My mother loves Ross.
And I despise it.

Racks jam-packed with clothes.
Hangers tangled.
It smells a little weird.
And there’s no clear system.

But if you roll up your sleeves and look (really look) you find gems.

Not always what you were looking for.
But pieces you didn’t know you needed.

The kind that make you say,
“Wait... this goes with everything in my closet.”

That’s how I’ve come to see purpose.

For years, I’ve struggled to label myself.

Mom.
Wife.
Project manager.
Time management nerd.
Data analyst.
Coach.
Writer.
Journaler.
Psychology junkie.
Jesus lover.
Organizer.
Minimalist.
Event planner.
Encourager.
Dreamer.

That’s a lot of tags to fit on one hanger.

And honestly?
When I hear my daughter say she wants to be a nurse, a baker, and a gymnast when she grows up,
the time-management part of my brain wants to say,
“Pick one, baby. Those are a lot of hours.”

But I’m learning that discomfort I feel?

That’s not about her.
It’s about me.

Because deep down, I still feel like I’m not allowed to be all the things I am.
Like I need one title.
One path.
One neat little tagline.

As if God is limited by branding.

But here’s what He’s been showing me:

You don’t have to know how it all comes together.
You just have to gather what you’re learning.

Even in the middle of a mess.
Even when you’re in a job you’re ready to quit.
A marriage that’s struggling.
A church that doesn’t feel like home right now.

You’re either collecting dust or gems.

And trust me. Resentment, comparison, and waiting for clarity before you move?
That’s how dust settles.

But gratitude, presence, curiosity?

That’s where the gems live.

Jay Shetty calls this “collect and connect.”

You collect the skills,
the scars,
the small wins...
and God connects them later.

You don’t have to see how it all fits right now.
You just have to keep showing up.

So, keep collecting.

Because one day, all those random pieces?

They’ll come together like the perfect capsule wardrobe.
One that only you could put together.
One that tells the story only you were meant to live.

So stop trying to fit your diamond peg into a square hole.
Stop trying to rush to the rack with the already coordinated matching sets.
And give yourself permission to be more than one thing.

Journal Prompt

In what area of my life am I trying to force clarity before I’m ready?