Personality Tests & Self-Awareness

I’ve never met a person that wasn’t interested in taking a personality test.  I wonder why that is.  Aren’t we supposed to know ourselves already?  Do we need a test to tell us who we are and how we act on a day to day basis?  Maybe it is just because we like figuring out little parts of ourselves and having a test confirm that.  Maybe we like hearing about our strengths.  Maybe… well maybe a lot of things.  But what about those little things that the personality test says that aren’t so flattering?  What about the things they tell us that we aren’t aware of?

Taking an honest to goodness psychometric personality test isn’t available online… for free.  So stop your Google search now.  One of the most well known and most used personality tests is the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, more affectionately known as the MBTI.  You can take an adapted form of this personality inventory.  Just click here.  Now, if you take it, remember that you MUST. BE. HONEST.  Otherwise, it just won’t be right!  🙂  After you are done it will give you your Myers Briggs type and a little information about it.  Don’t forget to click on the link at the bottom of the page to get a little more information about your personality type.

I’ll share mine with you all so we can discuss a little self awareness.  I actually have taken the full length MBTI and this adapted test matched up quite well.  So, my type is the INSJ.  Introverted. Sensing. Feeling. Judging.  The ISFJ is known as the “Conservator” and overall desires to be of service and to minister to individual needs.  Very loyal.  Sounds like me to me.  When it gets a little more detailed is when self awareness kicks in.  Here is what the adapted MBTI has to say about me.  Follows the rules, polite, fears drawing attention to self, dislikes competition, somewhat easily frightened, easily offended, timid, dutiful, private, lower energy, finisher, organized, socially uncomfortable, modest, not confrontational, easily hurt, observer, prone to crying, not spontaneous, does not appreciate strangeness – intolerant to differences, apprehensive, clean, planner, prone to confusion, afraid of many things, responsible, guarded, avoidant, anxious, cautious, suspicious, more interested in relationships and family than intellectual pursuits, not adventurous, fears doing the wrong thing, dislikes change.

Pretty much right on.  Now, who likes to hear about themselves that they are “afraid of many things, guarded, anxious, cautious, fears doing the wrong thing…” etc.  Not me, but that is part of being self aware.  I know those things about myself and my personality.  I’ve even spent a lot of time in self reflection figuring out how those personality traits developed.  So, my suggestion to you, the next time you take a personality test or if you ever take a personality test… take some time to reflect.  Take some time to become more self aware.  Don’t just say, “Yep, that’s me!” and be done with it.  Take in the good with the bad and actually think about what what your results are.

Of course… sometimes you don’t need a personality test to tell you about you or someone else.  For instance:

No personality test can give you that.  No personality test can make you really see the person.  It may offer insight, but it also may lack a human quality.  Or maybe even several human qualities.  All I know is that personality is an interesting topic for those of you outside of psychological training.  I urge to you take a more active and abstract approach when you get the results of your personality test if you ever take one.  Bottom line is a personality test doesn’t tell you who you are, because you already know that.  A personality test shows you.  It lays it all out in front of you for you to see.  Take the time to see it and understand why.  If you take the adapted MBTI above, have some fun with it and maybe learn a little from it.

Love What You Do

Do you love what you do?  I think that is a pretty important question.  I’m not talking about “do you love your job?”, although that is what most people assume.  Yeah one of the most commonly asked questions when you first meet someone is, “What do you do?”.  I get it.  I don’t know where I’m going with this.  I do know that I love what I do.  I mean, I truly love what I do in everyday life.  I love what I do for a living.  I love all that I do to further my growth as a human.  I love that I play music games with my mom and talk about silly things with my brother.  I love connecting.  I love engaging in creative play time.  I also love sitting on the couch watching Ahh! Real Monsters and Glee and ignoring my phone sometimes.

Now, of course there are things that I do that I don’t love… commuting, saying no, paying for gas, arguing, etc.  The point is… whatever you are doing today… I hope that you love it.  I mean, love it.  Those things that we have to do that we don’t love should be outweighed by the things that we do love.  I shot these photos a long time ago… and for me, they are timeless.  I come back to them all of the time.  I think the message in these photos is what drives me.

There is a lot of symbolism in these photos.  I suppose the main and most obvious act of symbolism is the mug filling up and running over with water.  It just takes one little drop at a time, but eventually, it will be full.  Can you apply that your life?  Can you apply that to taking little drops of happiness and filling your soul with them… drowning out the negativity?  Drowning out what brings you down?

If you are asking yourself why I am writing about this love stuff in these last couple of posts, I have a simple answer for you.  I am growing quite weary of hearing sad stories wrought with pain, abuse, and LACK OF LOVE, for anything.  For whatever reason, there seems to be a growing love and need for social networking and a dependence on the internet.  This doesn’t foster human connection, it hinders and weakens it.

In a world that is growing more negative and breeding hate, I would like to get you to think about love.  Love in any sense… for your family, friends, pets, hobbies, job, favorite food, TV shows, even……. even…….. even………. country music.  Whatever makes you feel happy, makes you feel an affinity towards something, grab it.  There is too much out there that can make us unhappy.  Focus on what makes you happy today.

And if you were wondering what I am going to focus on that makes me happy.  Mashed potatoes. Yummy.

Weekly Photo – A Tiny World in a Tiny World

What does that title make you think of?  It could make you think any number of things really… The first thing that jumped to my mind was just how tiny I am in this world, but there are things even tinier than me.  My niece is tinier than me, but she is a huge part of my world.  The world around us is a truly grand place and it is made up of several different parts that often interact together.  Sometimes these interactions are quite simple and other times they are very intricate.  Let’s take a look at the photo of the day:

To me, this puffed up dandelion literally looks like a tiny little planet.  It has its own ecosystem and a set way of doing things.  So, aren’t you like this dandelion?  I think so.  We all are tiny little planets with our own orbits, our own paths.  We all live in an ecosystem that is unique to us.  This is described very well in an area of psychology known as community psychology.

Community psychology is based on an ecological model that looks at a person in the perspective of the entire world.  This person’s problems and successes are looked at in terms of his/her community or society.  A person lives, or orbits if you will, in many different systems and all of these systems have the potential to interact.  We have the mircosystem, which is your immediate settings (family, school, work, etc.) and the mesosystem, which is the interaction of 2 or more of your microsystems, such as parent and teacher interactions.  Then we have the exosystem, these are settings that you aren’t participating in, but they are still significant.  For example, significant decisions that are made in your community directly affect you and are a part of your exosystem.  And lastly, there is the macrosystem, which might be the most obvious form of “system” out of the bunch.  The macrosystem is how society is organized, including culture, politics, economy etc.  It is easy to see how the macrosystem can effect all of the inner layers of your world.  If you are having a hard time visualizing, check out this nifty diagram:

See, there you are in all of your little orbits with all of your worlds interacting.  Remember how the dandelion looked like it stood alone as its own tiny world?  It doesn’t really stand alone, but it has all of these other systems working with it, beside it, and around it.  I’m telling you, were are all like the dandelion.  Take some time today to think about your tiny world in this tiny world.  What do your systems look like and where do you fit in them?  Would you like some of your systems to interact more and some to interact less?  It is, after all, your world, your orbit, your own path… make the best of it.

Weekly Photo – Expecting the Unexpected.

“Expect the unexpected.”

RIIIIIIGHT.  Whoever came up with that expression clearly wanted to torture humankind… or me at the very least.  I am always trying to expect and predict what comes next.  I try to expect the unexpected… but most of the time and here is the kicker… something unexpected happens.  Profound, I know.  Where is all of this coming from and why is it a big deal, you ask?  Well, I will tell you where these thoughts came from with the weekly photo.  I did not take this photograph, so I do not claim any credit for it.  First of all, how cute.  Now, let’s delve into the meaning and story behind this photo.  I do not recall where I read the article, but essentially, this tiny little itty bitty baby tawny owl somehow found its way into the lion enclosure at a zoo.  The zookeepers and workers were frantically trying to devise a way to get the little owl out of this obviously scary place.  Obviously, the workers were unable to simply go in and save the owl from the hungry lioness. Everyone was certain the lion would make the cute little owl an afternoon snack.  It looks as if the little owl is also a little anxious about being so close to the giant kitty.

But… expect the unexpected.  Who would have guessed that the lion would view the owl as a tiny companion?  Not me.  No one gave the lion any credit for being a compassionate creature.  After all, why would we?  I’ve seen what these giant kitties can do to a zebra, courtesy of Discovery Channel’s Planet Earth Series.  Let’s apply this little story to human nature.

We are always speculating.  Will I get into grad school?  Will I be a good parent?  Will BP stop the oil spill?  What if I don’t get into grad school?  What if I’m not a good parent?  What if BP does not stop the oil spill?  Etc. Etc. Etc.  Then we start to plan.  I plan my days, weeks, and months right down to the minute sometimes.  I put plans into motion that I think (and hope) will set me up for success.  I try to expect the unexpected.  However, the conundrum of this hypothetical theory persists.  If we expected it, it is no longer the unexpected.  There is always something that can through us off guard, always something that we simply did not plan on happening.

So, I suppose my question is, does all of this speculation help us or hurt us?  Does thinking about hypothetical successes or dangers, or failures really do us any good?  I’m sure that little owl never had a game plan for falling into the lion’s den, but he got out just fine.  Today, I ask you to live for the day.  Do not expect anything to happen or not happen to you.  If you are a planner like I am, stick to that plan.  However, remember that you cannot plan for everything.  If you could, the world would be a pretty boring place.

Seriously though, how cute is that owl?

Do We Really Only Use 10% of Our Brains?

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Humans only use 10% of their brains”?  I remember my grammy telling me this at a young age.  This may be a widely accepted notion, but today I am telling you that this is a myth.  While Einstein may have once supported this theory… he is still, how do I say this delicately… wrong.  Now, I am no Einstein, but there are several pieces of evidence that dispute this claim that humans only tap into 10% of the brains resources.  While I may not be aware of all of the evidence that debunks this myth here are a few thoughts:

• If we only use 10% of our brains, then any brain injury to the other 90% of the brain would not harm any of our functioning.  However, there is almost no area of the brain, if injured, that will not leave us with some sort of impairments.
• New technologies such as PET scans and fMRI scans have allowed us to see specific areas of the brain and how they function under specific stimulation, such as which part of the brain is active when we are doing math, listening, to music, or thinking abstractly.  We will talk about this more a little later.
• The brain also has distinct regions that deal with different kinds of information and how it is processed.  These are known as “lobes”.  The brain is sectioned into different lobes that perform different tasks, suggesting that we use our entire brain.  The frontal lobe  may be the most important in creative thinking.

Phew.  Now that we have sorted that out.  Let’s talk about creativity and where it comes from and what it looks like.  Creativity stems from your frontal lobe in your brain.

That blue area right at the front of your brain.  In a nutshell… this is where creativity comes from.  However, when working with visual arts, the occipital lobe also comes into play.  The occipital lobe is where visual information is processed and it is located at the very back of your brain, shaded in green in the image.  So, lets wrap this all together… if you are taking a photograph or creating visual art in any other medium, you are by default using more than 10% of your brain.  You are all of the parts of your brain, but especially the frontal and occipital lobes.  If you are looking at a photograph, painting, drawing, etc., you are also primary using these lobes.  Exercise your brain by looking and thinking about this photo:

As usual, think about what you see and what it means to you.  But this time, you know what parts of your brain are lighting up.  Never underestimate your brain.  You are using more than 10%.  On the other hand, remember that there is always room for growth and the “how” is more important than the “how much” when it comes to using your brain.

The Fine Line Between Holding On & Letting Go

Please forgive my lack of posting over the last week or so.  I last posted about the application process to PhD programs and the waiting game.  The waiting is now over, but with not the most desirable outcome.  While I came very close to acceptance into two different programs by being waitlisted, these programs filled their classes.  Basically, I will be applying again next year.  That being said, I am not disappointed in myself because I did come very close to being accepted, generally only 10% of people who apply gain acceptance.  So, while I was so close, but no cigar, I am proud to have made it that far in the process.  Over the last week I have been putting Plan B in to action by applying for internships, focusing on schoolwork, applying for part time jobs, etc.

In that time I was also contemplating what I have discovered to be a fine line between holding on and letting go.  For me, it was letting go of the possibility of starting a PhD program this fall, but holding on to my desire to undergo the rigorous application process again this fall.  This indeed is a very fine line.  It is hard to hold on to a dream or aspiration and be able to let go of parts of it at the same time.  I found a photo that I shot a month or so ago that I feel depicts this dilemma quite perfectly.

Holding On & Letting Go - Model Credit: Allison Lowes

This doesn’t exclusively apply to getting into PhD programs, but one person’s hopes and dreams.  Hopes and dreams occur in an ebb and flow type relationship.  The fine line between holding on and letting go is mastering the movement and fluidity of your aspirations.  They change, you change, the world changes, etc.  It is about holding on to what feels right and letting go of what feels wrong.  As long as you focus on your strengths and abilities and let go of insecurities and vulnerabilities, you will hold on to your dream and eventually achieve it.  But, you should be able to let go of what is holding you back, which may only be yourself.  Like I said, it is a fine line.

Bottom line: Never give up.  Hold on to your dreams, but let go of what may be holding you back.

And thank you for reading and your continued support of my education and creative endeavors!

What We See Is What We Are

I ran across of two photography quotes that peaked my interest today.  The first makes perfect sense.

• I think a photography class should be a requirement in all educational programs because it makes you see the world rather than just look at it.  ~Author Unknown

I believe wholeheartedly that I did not begin to see the world until I started looking through a camera lens.  Now whichever direction my eyes are pointed, I am truly seeing the world.  I started to see beauty in all of the small corners of my surroundings.  It doesn’t have to happen in an educational program.  You can go and pick up your camera and just start carrying it around with you wherever you go.  Make it a habit.  Soon you will notice a difference in how you see the world.  It is such a refreshing feeling and I strongly suggest it.  After a while you will not need to carry your camera everywhere to see the world, but you will always find yourself reaching for it, just to capture something that catches your attention.  You will start to see things that you never would have seen before.  Take this photo for an example:

Heart of Leaves

It is amazing how you can just be walking along… looking around… and then start to really see.  These little read leaves had fallen almost in the shape of a heart… I had to help them along a little, but that is part of being able to see the world, instead of just looking at it.  If I were just looking, I would have seen two red leaves resting next to each other.  I’m telling you, looking through a lens gives you a whole new outlook on the world.  For as ugly as the world may seem sometimes, it is equally beautiful, it just depends on whether you are looking or you are see seeing.

The second quote plays off of this notion:

• There is only you and your camera.  The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.  ~ Ernst Haas

So there comes a point when you are truly seeing the world, rather than looking at it.  This is a wonderful, not to mention fulfilling accomplishment.  But this is also the point when you realize that it truly is only you and your camera.  You may start to look at your artistic endeavor and find some limitations or aspects that need improvement.  This is all about learning and growth. I can see how much my photography has changed over the course of almost two years.  I can see the limitations that I had and I can now see that I view the world much differently.

All in all, if you are growing weary of the way the world looks to you, pick up your camera and start looking at it through a lens.  You will start to truly see the world around you and as time goes on you will start to see yourself in it.  And only then will you be able to grow with it.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

You know, I’m not one for color.  I like deep contrasts and dark tones.  Don’t get me wrong, color is beautiful.  But I feel that most of the time, the beauty between the contrast of black and white is often overlooked.  I’m not only referring to color and black and white photography, but to all other aspects of life as well.  Think about it for a moment.  In our lifes we are constantly putting things into the “gray area”, a place somewhere between black and white.  In psychology, often times many disorders or mental health concerns are diagnosed on a spectrum.  As humans we have been blessed with the gift of reason… well most of us have… don’t get me started on crowds at Wal-Mart or Chicago drivers.  The point is, we live in a world that is not black and white.  It is full of color… the sky is blue, the sun is yellow, the grass is green.  What color is laughter?  What color is hope?  Regardless of what color you think these feelings should be, they still make up and contribute to our lives enriched by color.

So why are people so intrigued and find such beauty in black and white photographs?  Void of color.  How could they possibly portray anything about our lives?  Can they capture blue eyes that smile?  Back to my original thought, the beauty of these photographs is overlooked.  We know that we love them, but we don’t recognize why we love them.  It isn’t the contrast between black and white that makes them so beautiful.  It is because the lack of color provides us with a different way of seeing things.  There is something fascinating and wonderful about how black and white photographs portray the world that we live in.  I find them extraordinary and have only recently began to shoot in black and white.

This photo is one of my first attempts to really shoot with the intent of the photo to be displayed solely in black and white.  I was obviously inspired by the black and white piano keys.  It was always a dream of mine to learn how to play the piano.  So the photo came together rather quickly.  I decided that I will shoot in black and white when I want to convey a deeper and more meaningful messages.  I began to seek out simple, and usually colorful, daily or commonplace occurrences to shoot in black and white to test my new theory regarding black and white photos.  The following picture is simply a coffee cup waiting for a bath in the kitchen sink:

Simple.  Yes. Thought provoking?  That is for you to determine.  What meaning do you take away from this photo?  Does the lack of color give meaning to the photo?  Or take it away?  Don’t ask yourself questions like “What does ‘Love What You Do’ even mean?”  That is the point.  Determine what it means to you.  Look into the photo, not at it.  What colors should be emanating from the cup?  And don’t say black, white, and gray…

Discovery

I am embarking on a new adventure. I have been compartmentalizing different parts of my life for a very long time.  I am feeling a change in the winds, as cliche as that sounds. I no longer feel the need to separate my creative self from my scientific/analytical self. If they were to merge together I think I could finally find a balance in my life.

This blog will be a tool in helping me to do that.  I have come to the realization that I am an artistic soul and I don’t want to lose that part of myself during my educational marathon in pursuing my doctorate and becoming a psychologist.  I want to use this blog post art and photography and study the psychology behind it.  At the same time I will discuss creative ideas ventures and techniques.  Lastly, I hope that this will serve as a timeline that documents my artistic and personal growth over time.  I’m just going to sit back and see where it takes me.

My career goal is to become a professor of psychology.  Personally, my goal is to take my career in psychology and enmesh it with my love for photography.  I intend to do this by taking pictures that are psychologically stimulating and discussing them from that psychological perspective.  This blog is my first attempt at doing the aforementioned.  Wish me luck and stay tuned.