Descriptive Analysis

Lately, I have been thinking about the English language and it’s many descriptive qualities in looking at one’s emotions. I found a website that listed over 3000 ways humans can actually feel. I’m sure if given the time, that list could be expanded.

So, as I look at my own life, I’ve been thinking about how some businesses, schools, and organizations often have a logo complete with 3 standards that they feel best define their presence. I decided to come up 3 standard words that best describe me minus the logo. I’m sure these words will change over the years, but the idea is to give a product identification to myself as an individual.

So I came up with the following descriptives for me, Eleazar Cruz Eusebio: Excellence, Integrity, Imagination. Now, if you were to see a picture of me in an adult yearbook, these would currently be the words I would offer as those that currently best describe me as a person.

I talk to hundreds of children and adolescents every week who don’t appear to have much insight into their own personalities. Often, if you ask them about themselves, they’ll be able to tell you a few characteristics. But rarely will you find a child who can accurately describe him or herself without tapping into their pre-operational, egotistical selves. This is why I consistently ask children and adolescents to explore what really makes them an individual and not just a person.

It’s not surprising that children will tell you what they want you to hear.  Many times I will have the most hardened of defiant, argumentative, and disruptive child tell me 3 qualitites that are totally hidden from the “outside” world. The student may actually view him or herself as totally opposite than they present behaviorally.

Of course, just like many characteristics, these misconceptions of self can carry over into adulthood. We often see adults acting totally different than what they perceive themselves to be. Is it because we ultimately want to be viewed as good or is it because we don’t see ourselves as inherently bad. The issue is very interesting.

What appears to be most important is that any individual ought to consider the vast palette of human emotions. They should also consider the endless amounts of paths and options they have available at any given time. I believe that when a person has a clear definition of who they are and what they want to be, these tenets can guide them toward the direction they’d like to go. It’s sort of self-prophecy without all the prophecy. It’s more a sense of belief in oneself through an honest assessment and analysis of the descriptions one gives oneself. So try it. You may find it just may help you get there.