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Sherrlene Uy

Teacher - English and Research, Glendale School, Inc. (QC, Phil)

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What are the challenges that gifted and creative individuals face at present?

Hi everyone! I am working on a research about the gifted and creative individuals. I'd like to know what are the challenges that the gifted and creative people experience in your country. Share your thoughts please :) Thanks!

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  • Crystal B

    • +4
    Feb 19 2013: I cannot speak for those who are gifted, because the definition of gifted to me is someone that is a high scholar in which I am not.

    However, I am a creative individual and I am currently fighting the challenge against my family which is success within happiness. I come from an Asian background and at first I didn't think my family was that stereotypical until I started standing up for my own happiness of pursuing something I enjoy. By stereotypical I mean they expect me to follow the route of medicine or business. I received comments such as "It's time to be a grown up", "You'll never make any money doing that", "That's not a real career", "Passion doesn't take you anywhere", "It's too late" and "It's stupid to spend money on stuff like that".

    Another challenge I run into is criticism. Instead of beneficial criticism, I'm often fed opinions that I should change my art work to something that's more "appropriate". To me that's difficult because that would mean I need to change my emotions, my mentality and literately myself - it's not that easy. I had the harshest criticism so far from one of my parents who told me to stop creating "funny stuff" and to throw away some of my art work.

    Which leads to my next challenge.. Myself. I really had to sit down and question everything constantly. Should I be shaping myself according to what everyone says is right? Or should I become my own unique individual and express who I really am? Is it disrespectful of me not to listen to my elders? Is it disrespectful of them to not accept me and support me?

    I had to figure out who I really was and what I was all about and not be my past but be the future I want. Gaining the confidence to put my foot down against those around who disagreed with my decisions, my creativity, my expression, and overall myself. Finding my own voice.It literately feels like you're fighting a lonesome battle against an entire army but it's become such a euphoric feeling I must say!

    Hope that helped!

    • Greg McEachern

      • +2
      Feb 20 2013: Hi Crystal, I love your post. You are very courageous. Most people are tuned into making money. Making money is actually creative too. Not everyone is creative at making money. Don't let others define for you what success is. The artist is someone who takes in their environment and lets it resonate with their genetics and their life experience and creates something original. Passion can propel you for many years. It's a good thing to have. The artist is sensitive. The artist is the 'canary in a coal mine', overly sensitive compared to others. That's how they resonate with their world. Art is a mirrored reflection of the world. It is like anthropology in the sense that the rest of the world can't see what you can see until you reveal it to them in your own way. It is a lonely battle and you are courageous. Make it work. Education will give you permission to do what you want to do and more. A future father in law once asked me . . ."When do you think you will become successful?" I replied "I feel successful right now!" He said "Touche".

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