Connecting the dots: A visual way to make sense of your multiple passions
How one creative exchange inspired me to map out the heart of my projects
Welcome to Lucuma in Bloom, a space where having multiple passions is not a weakness or a problem. Just the opposite, it is a HUGE strength. If you also find yourself pulled in many directions, full of ideas, and unsure of how to combine them to start your multiple creative projects, this is the place for you. Let’s prepare the ground together!
Have you ever struggled to describe what you do, especially when your interests seem to pull you in a hundred directions? I know the feeling.
A few months ago, I stumbled upon a post by Mayra Bottino, a Venezuelan graphic designer based in Argentina, and it completely changed the way I think about connecting my passions and interests.
I would have never imagined that one post would lead to a book club together and even an art collaboration across two continents (but that’s a story for upcoming posts!).
Today, I want to share the visual approach that helped me make sense of my many interests and might also help you.
What if instead of forcing ourselves to choose one direction, we tried to map everything and see how our passions connect?
How I met Mayra (and her mind map)
I first discovered Mayra during a seminar on creativity and multipotentiality hosted by Sharon Borgstrom, a creative coach I’ve had the pleasure of working with ( Yes, there’s a post about Sharon and that process in my pipeline).
During the session, Sharon described her coaching journey with Mayra: a process of embracing her many passions and owning her creative complexity. That encouragement gave Mayra the confidence to submit a website she had already designed for an award. And the result? She won it! (Curious? Check the award-winning website here.)
After hearing about Mayra’s creative path, I looked her up on Instagram.
The first thing that caught my eye was her bio: Art | Design | Culture | Research.
A designer interested in research? I was instantly curious.
Then I found the post: a mind map she had created to show all the topics she’s deeply passionate about and how they connect to her creative practice.
It was neat and clear, like a visual snapshot of her inner world. That one image told me more about her than any long description ever could.
As I looked closer, I noticed the points we had in common: graphic design, feminism, art, research, inclusion, and community.
In her caption, Mayra explained that the mind map came from trying to answer those tricky questions popping up when trying to describe herself professionally:
What should I highlight? How do I organize it? Should I include parts of my personality? Which ones?
If you’re someone with multiple interests (like I am, and maybe you are too), you know how hard it can be to describe what you do without sounding “all over the place.”
Instead of narrowing herself down, Mayra was embracing her complexity and visualizing it.
Her post inspired me instantly. I thought: This is such a great tool. I want (and need!) to do this too.
Like her, I have multiple passions and creative practices. Sometimes it’s hard to explain what I do without sounding scattered.
Recently, I’ve started channeling those interests into two newsletters: Lúcuma in Bloom, where I write about visual arts, design, and life in Sweden, and The SciArt Curator, where I explore the intersection of science, art, and society.
They feel like homes for two different worlds inside me, each with its own rhythm and tone, yet deeply connected.
After seeing Mayra’s post, I created my own version: a Venn diagram.
What started as a simple exercise turned into a deeply introspective afternoon. I now see I couldn’t have sketched that diagram without the inner work I’ve been doing for the past two years. It took me time to rediscover myself, validate all my passions, and let those parts of me grow (thanks Sharon Borgstrom! that process started with you)
Through that process, I found the common threads that run through everything I do:
research, art, communication, collaboration, and community.
Your turn: map your own magic
If you’ve ever felt scattered, try visualizing your ideas with a mind map, a Venn diagram, or even sticky notes on your wall.
Start by writing down your main passions, activities, and values, then draw lines between the ones that naturally connect.
You’ll probably discover overlaps you hadn’t noticed before and maybe even new directions waiting to grow.
I’m still figuring out how to represent another layer: the feminist, inclusive, and diverse perspectives I have in mind when developing all my projects. But that’s part of the process. These maps are living things, always evolving.
So thank you, Mayra, for reminding me that clarity doesn’t come from narrowing ourselves down. Sometimes, it comes from putting everything out there and connecting the dots.
Have you ever used visual tools to organize your passions or ideas?
I’d love to hear how you map your many sides!
Thanks for reading, and see you in two weeks 🌟
This is exactly what makes us unique, full human beings!