Das Bunte Leben

12 things Renaissance souls need to thrive

12 things Renaissance souls need to thrive (Text over photo of Michelangelo's David) ©Johanna Ringe 2023 www.johannaringe.com
  1. Independence

Renaissance Souls, these agile spirits do not like to feel constrained by rules. Even less, in rules that were obviously made for differently structured personalities. They prefer to have control over their lives, their schedules, and workflows etc. If they then obey the rules of their own volition, that is not a bad thing – the essential is that they are independent in their choices.

  1. Finding Meaning in Action

Renaissance Souls are not meant to simply sit out a job. They do not allow themselves to be reduced to vicarious agents but want to work actively towards a goal that aligns with their values and ethics. They prefer positions that allow them to impact society or the whole planet. Some may work in so-called bread-and-butter jobs in order to be able to afford voluntary work, but they will always invest their energy where they can make a real difference.

  1. Deep Understanding of Oneself

In their deep capacity for reflection, highly gifted multitalented people learn from childhood to understand very precisely the one person who is their first and most important object of research: their own person. They have a keen curiosity in understanding people, motives, thought structures, emotional processes … All this is of burning interest to them, and the more closely they get to know themselves, the more content they are.

  1. Clarity and Order

Despite their many interests and outbursts of creativity, Renaissance souls need structure in their lives. Books may not be in alphabetical order on the shelves, but in general they will be on the shelves. Or in well kept piles all around the house. Even if in the fervour of the action their desk may look like something exploded, the control of these creatives definitely extends to the order of their things: they know exactly where their things belong and always come back to that order – even if it may not be apparent to an outsider.

  1. Beauty

Beauty is nourishment for their souls. They do not tolerate being surrounded by ugliness but always strive for beauty and quality. Whether this is expressed in the harmony of their homes, in art on the walls, in their own clothing or garden design, Renaissance souls are aesthetes that need beauty like the air to breathe and the water to drink.

  1. Structure

Renaissance souls may not play by the conventional rules, but they do need a certain structure. They like to be prepared for what life might throw at them. Spontaneity costs them more energy than at least loose planning. That does not mean they cannot be spontaneous or accept sudden changes, but a surprise party might be a bad idea: perhaps they are just worn out and tired after a long day and have been yearning for the evening off. On the other hand, they cannot be persuaded to go to bed when it’s just so nice. That already includes the Renaissance children, who will then sleep in the next day or just stay in the soothing safety of their room to recover.

  1. Human Contact

What you do and what you don’t do is of no interest to Renaissance people, at most as an anthropological observation. They do not want conventional contacts with others, they want real encounters. Renaissance souls have no need for four hundred social connections but rather for four true friends they can really open up to. Their relationships and friendships are often unconventional and exceptional, both in terms of the manner and the people involved. Honesty, authenticity, and integrity are more important to them than any whitewash of civility.

  1. Deep Conversations

That is the logical next bullet point: they are not concerned with conventions or polite phrases; they are concerned with depth. Renaissance souls want to understand what goes on in your mind and in your heart, what moves you, what your beliefs are, your worldview and your deepest pain. They abhor small talk, see it as an ungracious waste of time, and very often they are not even capable of it. But they can get to know a person in a single conversation, and more profoundly than many others in ten years of friendship.

  1. At Least One Person that Understands

Renaissance people are very interested in human beings as research objects, and most likely they will be able to have conversations with any person they meet. That said, all the good conversations do not replace the most important: a human being that understands them. Someone who can really follow them, who understands their thought processes, and their motivations. Someone they can explain themselves to, but often don’t have to. This one person is indispensable for the mental health of the Renaissance soul.

  1. Time for Oneself

For their mental health, being alone and being able to withdraw is at least as important. Since Renaissance people are in permanent exchange with their surroundings, cannot block out other people, and are usually highly empathetic, they need a lot of time to process all these impressions. They need time to remember to feel themselves, to feel their boundaries and regenerate. This can seem very strange to others. If you willingly allow a Renaissance Soul to retreat and spend time alone, this will win you their eternal affection.

  1. An Outlet for their Insights

Their spirit of inquiry is not an end in itself. Renaissance souls want to share their insights. They often write about them or choose a profession that will allow them to apply them. In any case, people seeking advice gravitate to them – in all possible and impossible situations, and often against their will. It is as if the Renaissance souls fulfil a function in society that has nothing to do with profession or the like and is always finding a way.

  1. An Outlet for their Creativity

Their sense of beauty often combines with their empathy and self-consciousness into poetry, music, or other art forms. Renaissance souls realize that not everything can be expressed verbally and so they search for creative expression beyond their eloquence. Nonetheless they can get amazingly close to their audience when they use their words and nothing else.

Tell me, Do you see yourself in this?

Heartfelt, wherever you are,

Unterschrift Johanna (c) Johanna Ringe 2014 ff. www.dein-buntes-leben.de