The Kaleidoscope Test

Introducing yourself to yourself, with a little twist

If you caught some of my last posts, one of the aims of returning to blogging here was to get back to some of the more timeless, simple elements of creative living, and also to open the door to others who are looking for a more grounded, intentional view of being ourselves.

It sounds easy - but as I’m sure you’ve noticed by now in your own life that it’s one thing to know what feels right to you, and entirely something else to step into that existence a teensy bit more each day while saying no to the stuff that isn’t you, or for you.

One of the biggest hangups I noticed in myself with this was the idea of settling into what felt right for me at the time, without letting myself go off on a spin of overthinking or analyzing it. (This may resonate with you especially if you’re a neurodivergent person, and you’re often taking in tons of nuance around every single decision you make!)

Instead of playing that game with myself, I realized the answer could be much simpler:

You can just ask yourself: What’s your Favourite You?

I like to think of this as the Kaleidoscope Test.

Throughout your life, you’re a kaleidoscope of different versions of yourself.

Kaleidoscope Yous.

As life twists and turns, different Kaleidoscope Yous make themselves known.

Some versions of you are present in your daily life now — maybe the version of you quietly reading this blog right now is one of them. Or Mom You. Out-In-Nature you. Covered-in-Paint You.

Other Kaleidoscope Yous are held in the past. Student You, the You Who Had A Part Time Job at a Nursery, or maybe Dogwalker You. Even if it’s well in the past, those yous are very much still inside of you today, and sometimes just the reminder of what’s available to us from our own repertoire of experience can be enough to pull those values back into the present.

This stuff works.

With each kaleidoscope version of yourself, you’re stepping not only into different activities, but also different forms of awareness. In other words, your experience shifts as the events do, but so does what you put out into the world from that experience. The kaleidoscope moves, the pattern changes. Or, the prism shifts, and the rainbow does, too.

They're ALL you -- just different facets of you, making themselves know. 

How to use this idea intentionally, to help you today:

The simple act of reflecting on what versions of Kaleidoscope You are your favourites can be one of the quickest ways to cut through the mess of expectations, fears, and everything else that can get in the way of us living bravely.

Consciously noticing “hey, one of my Favourite Mes is a writer, yet I haven’t made time to write in ages” can be the nudge you need to pick up a pen (or spend a few minutes writing on your next book idea.)

Take a moment and do a kaleidoscope inventory. What Yous come to mind right now? Of those, which are your favourites? Make a list, and then cross-reference it with the actions you take day to day. Is their alignment there? Or do you have some work to do to bring those different versions of yourself into awareness?

Don’t get caught up on what “favourite” means.

It might be the Yous that feel happiest, or most at peace, or most fulfilled. Or goofiest. You’ll probably have a handful of favourites that come to mind.

One of my best friends’ Favourite Me shows up when she’s covered in dirt from her garden. Another meets her Favourite Me when she’s out at 2am in the forest with a headlamp, listening for bats with rickety.

One of my Favourite Mes only comes alive when I'm on choppy water, staring into the horizon with salt spray on my face.

The closer you can hone in on your Favourite You, the easier it is to create spaces in your day to tend them. Even if it’s just in one degree shifts.

I’ll kick us off with some more Favourite Mes:

• My most Creatively Fulfilled Me comes out when I’m playing with words & ideas, with an open window beside me (preferably with a cool breeze).
• Spending time in nature (anywhere with a shoreline or forest) is where Peaceful Me shows up the most
• Petting-a-Dog Me feels most heart-full & generous
• Photographer Me could be hunched over peering at leaves and bugs all day, and not notice the back pain.

What about you? What are your Favourite Mes? 

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