How To Be A Modern Renaissance Woman

A Renaissance woman is a woman who naturally gravitates towards various areas of interest and develops skills in a wide range of areas of human development. Like Leonardo Di Vinci who was widely known for his genius in the arts and the sciences, a Renaissance man or woman likewise floats between what are often seen as separate or even opposing fields of knowledge.

You don’t have to be a genius to be this kind of person. Like myself, most people who are this way simply find it incredibly boring to just focus on one area of expertise. They do, however, end up with enough proficiency to allow them to enjoy and share their many interests, which of course is the whole point.

A lot of our culture around education is focused on specialization, and for some that may work well. But I realized I would never be the type of person who could focus all my energy and potential into one area of life, and when I embraced that, I really started thriving.

After I accepted it was more natural for me to hop between various interests and passions, the lack of guilt I felt in doing so actually allowed me to more fully learn. If this resonates with you, here are some areas of personal development you can focus on to make yourself into a Renaissance woman too.

1. Never Stop Learning

To be a Renaissance woman you must enjoy learning new things, possibly above all else. The pursuit of knowledge – and by association, the lived wisdom and intuition which follows – is one of the most important characteristics of being a well-rounded person.

Women, more than men, rely on their instincts and feelings to navigate the world, and thus it’s important that you let your heart and emotions guide you toward the topics you’re most passionate about. Reading books on history, poetry from centuries past, or other classic literature is a wonderful way to attain new knowledge.

Let your heart and emotions guide you toward the topics you’re most passionate about.

A more modern way to gain knowledge, but one that’s especially handy for the busy person, is to subscribe to a few new podcasts or purchase some audiobooks on topics you want to learn more about and listen to them while doing other things.

Gaining new information is no longer a luxury afforded only to those who can pay for expensive university degrees. Thanks to the internet, anyone with a strong drive can access more information than they could ever need. There are no good excuses not to be learning something new regularly. Self-guided education based on personal interest and fueled by your own enthusiasm can be a lifelong journey that continues to make you into a more enlightened woman well into old age.

2. Embrace Your Beauty, Health, and Femininity

Taking care of our mind is extremely important but shouldn’t be pursued at the expense of our physical health and beauty. A huge amount of women’s power comes from their beauty and feminine energy. Developing this side of you is absolutely essential.

Let’s normalize being both gorgeous and smart by pioneering that identity in our own lives.

Making sure that we’re engaging in consistent exercise that releases endorphins, supports proper rest, and keeps our bodies healthy is imperative to allowing us to pursue all our other passions. Too often, the old stereotype of the beautiful but stupid women has dominated pop-culture. Let’s normalize being gorgeous and smart by pioneering that identity in our own lives. We can be both. There’s no reason we can’t read Herman Hesse while our hair dries in perfectly curled rollers, or listen to a podcast on philosophy while we work out or do our nails.

3. Contribute to Your Social Circle and Community

As a Renaissance woman, your social status and social life are of huge importance. The community we exist in and what we contribute to that community defines us in a huge way. Whether we’re artistic, industrious, maternal, spiritual, or a combination of all these things, our identity is only real in relation to how we interact with the world around us.

It’s important that you’re confident in your abilities, are able to identify what it is that you have to offer, and then consistently show up with that energy. Helping people who are in need, building connections between various social circles, and supporting others in their own personal development are essential to the vitality of your own social success.

A good conversationalist is a good listener and asks genuine questions.

Furthermore, developing the feminine art of conversation is essential in establishing your social status. Being able to charm a new associate or acquaintance opens doors to new opportunities and experiences. Most people think that being a good conversationalist requires some special set of personality traits, but, in reality, it’s much more about being a good listener and asking genuine questions.

Everyone wants to be heard and understood, and to feel like the people they’re engaging with are interested in them. When we take the time to learn who people are and make them feel as if we’re genuinely captivated by them, we establish a solid foundation to begin sharing what we have to offer that could be of value to others on a more personal level.

4. Be Creative

Women are natural artists because rooted in their very biology is the potential for creating life. We’re creative beings at our very core, and this element of who we are as women can be expressed in many ways.

Finding a way to be creative shouldn’t be too difficult when we have so many wonderful options to choose from. From traditional art forms like painting and learning an instrument to more modern options like graphic design, doing handy crafts to sell online, or even sewing to save money for your household and tailor your own wardrobe, there are endless mediums to choose from.

Women are creative beings at our very core.

The maternal life-giving energy possessed by women is, of course, most directly manifested in the mothering of children but can be expressed in a multitude of ways throughout a woman’s entire life. Despite what many believe, becoming a mother doesn’t in any way hold back a woman with strong drive from accomplishing her goals and pursuing many passions. And if it’s what a woman desires, building a family and raising the next generation is something that can accompany your many interests, not detract from them.

The fact that you’re knowledgeable and skilled in many areas of life will truly benefit the children you raise, as you pass on this wisdom to them. This is especially true for women who have the desire to homeschool their little ones. If having children isn’t something you desire or are able to do, you can always use your maternal instincts to care for others outside the family unit and pass on your knowledge to other people in your life. What’s most important is that you allow yourself the opportunity to transfer some of that well-earned wisdom so it doesn’t end with you.

Closing Thoughts

Renaissance women are multifaceted, complex, and dynamic. There are many undeveloped Renaissance women out there who likely don’t even realize that’s who they are. A significant number of women have been misled into thinking that we have to narrow ourselves to fit into one box or another in order to be successful. When we’re willing to take on the challenge of not only discovering who it is we are, but building that person with intention, we allow for the opportunity to become the best versions of ourselves.

To rise to our full potential, we should focus nourishing all aspects of personal development so that we can truly thrive, not simply for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the people we love and our wider community. The next time someone comments on your many interests or passions by calling you a jack of all trades, don’t hesitate to let them know you are no Jack of anything, you’re a Renaissance woman.