Inspirational Saturday: Were You the Cowboy or Indian?


We learn a lot by how we were as children. If you're trying to find your authentic self--delve into the child before that child was told "how" to do things and what was "right."

When you played with friends, did you let them direct what you'd do and went along with it or did you make up the games? Did you do the creative things like turn a sheet into a gown or make a fort with blankets? Were you the one who wanted to watch others do things or did you just want to do things and didn't care if the others caught up?

Were you physical? Wanting to ride bikes, skateboard, shoot baskets, swim.

Were you creative? Wanting to watch movies, read books, fantasize with dolls to play out dream worlds.

Were you industrious? Wanting to build a tree fort, redecorate your room, build a ramp for jumping your bike.

Were you mentally driven? Wanting to learn all about medieval lifestyle, reading, telescopes, and catching bugs.

Were you experience-oriented? Wanting to go places, loving vacations, going to outdoor concerts, museums.

When I was younger, I wanted to lead the play time. I was creative and had plots and ideas for what to do. I wanted to build things, do things, go places, push myself physically, exploring creepy places, having seances, competing in basketball, making up dance routines on skates, mapping the woods. I am pretty much the sum of being a leader and a tomboy, a person who asked questions and wanted to make things happen instead of just dreaming all the time. I'm about as much my genuine self now as I can be, but it wasn't always that way. In my marriage, much of those traits went underground. I was not authentic and felt dissociated from my self.

I've found that since being my real self and using those natural skills I always had since childhood, the world has offered good karma. It's strange how that works. Don't fight your personality's traits, embrace them and use them to their best advantage and you will find success is yours. It's not as much about skills and knowledge, talent and blessings; it's about being real. Then, you create your own groove.

Comments

  1. Ha ha! Were you like my middle niece? She doesn't suggest ideas or lead let's-play, she DICTATES playtime. She's a little dilatant. LOL! And Lord help you if you don't follow her dictates. Fun is didactic and structured for her. I think she'll grow up to be a military instructor--or a teacher. She's especially loved playing "teacher" and excited to instruct you (in excruciating detail) about all she learned in school recently.

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  2. Haha. I love that little girl! I wasn't the controlling leader, I was more like the idea gal. Everyone would look at me and go, "well, what do we do now?" And I'd make up stuff off the top of my head. One day, we'd use the boxwood mazes as condos and be realtors. Another day, I'd turn us into a singing group and make us halter tops. You never quite knew what crazy thing I'd have us doing, but my friends got to counting on me for direction since I was a weird font of bizarre plots and plans. I won't even talk about jumping off the barn with a homemade parachute!

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  3. I as always the cowboy! lol.

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  4. I didn't mind whether I was a cowboy or Indian because as a child I made my own rules and fought with anyone who argued. I always played to win even if it meant playing dirty..

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  5. John;
    Oh yes. I think I could have played with you as a kid. There was a boy in the neighborhood just like that. We butted heads often since we were both born leaders. Like most leaders in a group, we had to splinter the group off into "are you going with me?" or "are you going with him?"

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  6. I always had a creative drive as a kid, constantly watching movies, and play-acting alternate worlds. I can remember when I was young, people in my family worrying about my "macabre" imagination. I used to worry that I might be a "looney", and wondered what was wrong with me. Now I just don't care!

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  7. HN;
    The heart and mind of a creative genius. People who aren't creative don't get the drive and the things that influence creative folks. When you're gifted in that area, it's kind of like being hyperactive of a supernerd, you are compelled to keep creating worlds that don't exist, using materials you have handy, and dreaming of bigger and better things. Your friends might be antsy and sporty or nerdish and bookish, but the creative kid is the one making everyone scratch their heads. They see more in our world than bricks and mortar; they see palaces and art. I'm so glad you're one of the creative geniuses--it means whatever life gives you, you'll shape it into its potential.

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  8. Melanie;
    You go girl! Get what you want. No waiting around. That's the right attitude.

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  9. I was creative-kid: books, t.v., movies, dolls, dressing up/play-acting, drawing/craft. I was always trying to rise above reality in some way. I didn't just love 'Bewitched' when I was little... I really, REALLY wanted to be able to wiggle my nose and make things happen.

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  10. LGH;
    Me too!!!! I wanted to be a genie too. I loved the way her bottle was decorated.

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