Kaleidoscopic Thinkers
This will take around 2 minutes to read
TLDR: Every human is different, so the fact that we think differently makes sense. Loving and knowing the kind of brain you are working with will help you connect with others. I love the terms Kaleidoscopic thinkers for Visual and Movement thinkers (often associated with ADHD but not exclusively).
REWRITING MY BRAIN STORY
My healing journey started 7 years ago and it wasn’t until last year that I dug down to the depths of my hidden stories to discover the relationship I had with my brain. This is part of the reason I took a year off – to build back that relationship.
Last year (2020) I was diagnosed with ADHD. Although, I knew for most of my life that the way my brain worked was NOT the same as everyone else around me.
I took that to mean that my brain was bad. That I was bad.
During this time, I started to work with Sandra from Neurodivergent Narratives*. During one of our coaching sessions she asked me to describe my art and what I love to draw.
I started rattling on about how I do graphic design and illustration but the kind that businesses can use and how I used to draw crazy weird stuff in elementary school that would win awards even though it was gross and so wrong*.
She gently pointed out all of those emboldened words up there to me and asked me to take time to think of some new replacement words. I did and I wrote them down. (see image above)
Every night I would say goodnight to myself and use one of these words when talking to my brain.
One of the nights I used the word Kaleidoscopic.
“Good night kaleidoscopic brain!”
Tears streamed down my face. I felt so seen by myself. I had the most beautiful kaleidoscopic dream that night and realized that this was exactly how I see the world.
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I share my story with you because I know you live in a culture that doesn’t see difference as an asset (ableism).
I also know that if this was something I struggled with there are probably many, many other people in the same boat.
Take this story any way you need it.
If you want to make a word bank of new words for yourself and write them down so you can see them, then by all means go for it!
If you want to go check out Sandra’s page then do it!
If you want to acknowledge how much you love your brain already – great!
Honesty, I just want you to know… your story is your story. Don’t let other people write the names of the characters for you.
TYPES OF KALEIDOSCOPIC THINKERS
Visual Kaleidoscopic: You need to see it to get it whether that’s a mock-up, picture, video, demonstration, etc. You rearrange images in your mind and have to sketch it or write it out in front of you to see the final picture.
Story Kaleidoscopic: You weave together words from pieces of a story. This is more like taking a pile of fabric and arranging it into a quilt. The story and compilation matters to you to understand it. You discover the meaning through the building process.
Verbal Kaleidoscopic: You speak through the problem to find the solution. You enjoy hearing how you tell the story and it’s usually not linear. You share the big picture and then some details and then add additional pieces as you think of them followed by another reframe of the big picture.
And of course we can blend those together into our unique way of being because we are human.
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I’d love to hear from you if you’d like to share any of your journey. I’m in the business of helping brains speak and your brain & ideas matter.
Enjoy your day and remember, only YOU get to choose what you label your brain.
Have questions about this article? Leave a comment below or email me at laura@illustrative.us.
** This isn’t an affiliate post. I just LOVE working with Sandra and think some of you may too 🙂 Sharing from pure gratitude.
** In case you’re curious my award winning artwork in elementary and middle school was: A colored pencil drawing of a giant bunny with a double chin and a short plaid skirt and no eyelashes, a collage of a green woman made out of different body parts I cut out from a magazine which was “refined” on one half of her body and wild/free on the other side and a ceramic pig statue that was bright pink and splatter painted and wrapped in a teal toga for “modesty” thought the toga didn’t cover any of the traditional “private” parts. My teachers, friends and family made it very clear that these were all unacceptable. Apparently the art judges didn’t agree and now I cherish them. Maybe someday I’ll dig out the pictures and you can see them.
AUTHOR | LAURA MATTESON
Laura Matteson is a neurodivergent artist, mother, wife, founder of Illustrative with fancy drawing skills and a bucket full of hope for humanity.
