I believe at some point in every individual’s life, there was a time in which we have had a great creative spurt. In which ideas were formulated and were brought to life through play, games, etc. While this was a momentary phase for some of us, there are those who’s brain are chemically engineered to stay in that particular phase of thinking. I take great pride in knowing that I am raising 2 individuals who share this type of thinking. While these girls are governed by the right side of their brain, in which the creative nature takes over in every aspect of their lives, I am governed by the left side of the brain, which values structure, order, facts, and laws.
This article is meant to explore both sides of thinking, and then construct a bridge to which both may co-exist in harmony. Right Brain Dominate Case Studies Case Study #1: History: My oldest daughter is 15 with a high artistic ability. My fondest memory with her is when she was about 3 years old. She and I were finger painting. I remember watching her concentrate hard on where her fingers were being placed, and on the image, she wanted to create. The pride on her face when she completed her painting stayed with me. Traits/ Creative Thinking: It became exceeding clear to me that she was to continue in the phase of creativity as she grew. As she formed critical thinking skills, I saw that her mind worked in a form of imagery. To be more specific, she had to picture things in order for it to make sense. She continues, to this day, to draw inspiration from surrounding circumstances, and translate them in forms of drawing, painting, etc. Traits/Personality: As a young lady, her way of thinking became more concrete. While very loving and caring, she became very passive. She was able to shift quickly to accommodate, and is exteriorly very passive. There are very subtle acts of rebellion, however, this may be due to the phase in life in which she is currently at. 🙂 We’ll see how it goes.... Case Study #2: History: My middle child is 13 with the ability to create. With this child everything and anything is possible. I realized the child was highly creative at a very early age, while she was processing words. Creative thinking in a child as early as 4-5 years of age was, to me, truly impressive. Traits/Creative Thinking: This child is exceptional at word imagery. Her talent lies in the construct of character development in short stories, as well as plot formulation. Inspired by characters from both classic and modern stories, she continues to experiment in writing. Traits/Personality: While the first child is very passive, this one has a lot of passionate ambition to draw on. Very outspoken and unbothered by opinions, she has a bit of a rebellious streak. When all things are considered, however, she is one that will continue to strive for her personal best and brings this out of those who are closest to her. Similar yet Different-Right Brain dominate Similarities: Both girls share similar traits while differing at the same time. I’m not sure if that makes sense but we will run with it for the time being. One similar trait I myself have observed is the desire to create from scratch. While the first child creates images, the other creates stories. Their power lies in the creative process itself. To turn a canvas into a work of art, or to turn words to create imaginative stories an impressive thing to watch. Most often, both girls share the sensitivity to judgement regarding their given talent. This is where the rebellious streak comes into play. Criticism is not taken lightly as there is much emotion attached to their work. After all, they spent hours creating this baby from scratch, so for you to knock it down brings out a defensive response right away. Disorganized thinking is another similarity that both girls share. This is evident in their lives: room is chaotic, they opt to wear simple clothing, they may seem forgetful at times, etc. This is not necessary a bad thing, it just means that their minds are always flooded with ideas and do not take the time to worry about smaller details. Differences: While we explored similarities, I should take the time to mention differences. In observation, the differences in both these girls are how they go about creating. Their minds are a product of a 2-parent household- one that is highly creative (Dad), and one that is highly govern by logic and reason (Mom). Their personality differences are present too. While one remains outspoken, the other is more reserved to her own thoughts. While one is artistic in nature, the other forms word art and caters more to the public. One is passive, the other stubborn. One night I had an idea to combine both talents and have them come up with children’s illustrated books. When the idea was presented, both girls had already thought of it, however, they could not find common ground when it came to pictures that would fit the story told (see what I mean with the criticism?). The Logical Parent- Left Brain Dominate Traits/Creative thinking: Creative thinking was a very hard thing for me to grasp and essentially master. While this comes easy to those who are already prone to abstract thought, the idea of going out of a structural element is difficult for me. I do my best work when there are structures, laws, rules, etc. The analysis of facts and details work best for me, whereas the girls would feel too confined in these methods. Traits/Personality: So how does a left brain dominate usually present in their personality? To be honest, most would say rigid, obsessed with organizational constructs, dominated by practical theory. The process of creating is regimented to a plan and then executed with precision. Most would say that being this detail oriented could be seen as a setback. Detail analysis may boarder obsessive. This may in fact bleed into personal relationships, and may be disruptive if remained unchecked. Parenting Here are some things that have worked for me and hopefully will work for you.
0 Comments
In every job, you will encounter situations in which can get a little annoying. Some of these situations can be dealt with. If you enjoy the job that you are currently in and encounter situations like these, you may want to keep the job and muscle through the problem. Here are just a few things that may cause a little friction while you are trying to make your money.
Problem: People do not like you, particularly your boss. This usually happens for several different reasons. Co-workers may be jealous of your work ethics. Let’s face it. It is 2018 and the internet has exploded in such a way that everyone knows each other’s dirty laundry. What does this mean for you? It means that there are few people that believe in a good individual solely for the purpose that it’s the right thing to do. Therefore show your flaws. No one is expecting you to be perfect. Especially if you are new to the job. Relax a bit and show that you are not all business. Another thing to consider is your work ethic and attitude. If you are consistently late and have a bitter attitude then no wonder you boss don’t like you. It’s time for you to change. Be positive. Start thinking about the fact that you can pay your bills and feel the gratitude kick in. Give your boss credit, his job may not be as easy as you think it is. Ask him or her if there is something you can do to relieve a little of their work load. In time, their attitude towards you will change for the better. Problem: The job is difficult to do due to limited resources. This happens when the company has budget cuts to make or just run naturally on limited resources. This problem is actually a positive. This “problem” opens up a situation in which you can use your creative thinking. In an article that I recently read, the leading problem that makes most employees resent and ultimately quit their job is that there is no room for their creativity. The job requires a very strict procedure and there is no room for your creative skill. This problem allows you to be creative with the limited resources provided. If your solutions to the problem are good, your employer may be grateful and show you recognition for your hard work and critical thinking. Problem: Lack of recognition This may happen when you receive a lot of kick back from your superiors, even when you think you put 100% into a project. This situation requires reflection. Stop to think and re-evalate your work performance. This is the time to be critical. Although you may feel that you did your best, take the time to subtract your emotions from the situation and revisit the suggestions that were given. However, if there is no system in place to recognize employees then this may be a good time to use some creative thinking to start one. Problem: Gossip There’s always one co-worker in any workplace that spreads rumors and loves to be in other people’s business. Most of these people that you encounter are unhappy in their own lives. They have been at the job long enough to be miserable in it, and are constantly unhappy. The best solution for this is to avoid gossip all together. Do not engage because that will add fuel to the problem and will add you to it. Remember you are there to provide a service for the company that you work for. You are not there to start a soap opera. Problem: Overworking: Scheduling Conflict This occurs when you end up over-extending yourself and have no work-life balance. There’s no time for yourself, and you end up burning yourself out. You become increasingly agitated and the quality of your work suffers. To overcome this you have to review your current schedule at work. Something in your personal life may have changed that requires more attention then it use to. In that case, it’s okay to take a minute and step back. Request a change and schedule time off, or lower the amount of work hours. If starting a new job, be sure to ask during your interview if the job requires additional hours apart those scheduled. Ask your potential employer what the actual hours of operation are. Is there room for change in a work schedule? Be sure to speak up and advocate for yourself. In my personal opinion, any problem or situation can be managed. However, if your work life has begun to affect your personal life, it’s time to consider a change. Nothing is more important than having peace away from the stress of a job or career. |
AuthorYaritza Ellison has been an nurse since 2010. She has been essential to the healing process of many and seeks to continue to do so. Her passion for mental health and self help literature has lead her to launch justyari.org, where she aspires to coach young ladies navigating through work-life balance. Categories
All
|