Puzzle People/Solution Focused

This morning I was thinking about puzzles, problems and solutions. I received a great compliment this week in treatment team.  One of my supervisors was commenting to our C.O.O. about my performance.  He said I was "solution focused-action oriented.  Instead of complaining about problems, Erin does something about them or comes up with a plan."  Wow-that's something I can use on my Linkedin resume STAT.  I thanked him him for his comments and compared my actions to putting pieces together in a puzzle and the satisfaction that comes when it all fits together.  But why in the heck did I use that puzzle reference?

I hate puzzles-always have.  As a child, I saw absolutely no value in spending my time to put stupid little pieces together to make a picture.  Just buy a picture.  Why cut it up into a 1000 pieces and put it back together again.  I felt similar disdain for crossword puzzles, brain teasers, and even board games. I felt it was a big giant waste of time.  I know you can use those games/puzzles to bring people together, but I have rarely utilized them-and here I am the big Recreation Therapist!  I use the word "hate" and I mean it.  Life is hard enough.  Why make it hard on purpose? 

I know puzzles are supposed to "help your brain-make you smarter etc." So let me be stupid.  I'll proclaim it.  I did last night, and many nights prior, when I marched upstairs and asked my daughter to solve a practical puzzle problem of adjusting metal bakers shelves. I get frustrated so quickly.  I usually end up breaking things or throwing them away-like my vacuum cleaner-last week. I'm the opposite of a fixer- I'm a breaker.  My dad often told me that even though I got straight A's I had no common sense-no practical smarts. Guess he's right.  My daughter says she gets great satisfaction from solving practical problems.  She mentioned how you never have to force pieces to make them fit, you just need step back, see how the pieces are arranged and then you can think of different angels to approach those pieces. I like that.  I think it has great symbolic application to other arenas.  

People have always held more interest to me.  Now people puzzles-that's the ticket.  I find I'm becoming more of a team player as I not only use my own talent and energy to solve a group problems, but I also try to utilize other people's talent and energy as well. The mental energy comes from brainstorming solutions- or in some case trying to do mental gymnastics.  I'm not too good thinking on my feet and coming up with spontaneous suggestions- I need time to really crunch ideas on my own and mentally evaluate and set goals.  Once I've had think tank time, then I can present possible solutions or goals to the group- usually in the form of an email with an attached proposal. Even if my problem solving plan isn't implemented, which many times it isn't, the whole mental exercise is not in vain.  It helps me increase neural pathways or  brain connections that those puzzle people like to talk about. No exercise is in vain-not just physical exercise, but mental exercise;  even if it's not strength building- at least moving around (range of motion) is better than nothing.

 It is a beautiful picture when everyone comes together for the common good. I can think of this solved problem as a completed picture on a stupid 1000 piece puzzle.  It can be extremely satisfying.  But with these people puzzles, the problems represent unmet needs. The solution represents helping.  So everything is done in service-meaningful service.  Even though I get paid to help, it still feels good to help.  I am thankful for the many people puzzles in my life-and who knows- maybe I'll develop a greater appreciation for puzzle people.