Circumlocute "like a boss"

My girl cousins and I on my mom's side have a cousins chat and to keep it alive and thriving we ask one thought provoking (more or less) question per week. Cousin Sharon started this ritual and is the biggest contributor to it's success. One prompt for the week was say whatever mundane thing you were doing in that moment and add the phrase "like a boss". At the time I was drafting an email reply "like a boss". So often we are not confident in our skills and tihs exercise was funny and thought provoking. So let's make the space a little more though provoking, a little kinder, and maybe a little more creative. What are you doing right now..."like a boss."

Now onto the blog post at hand. Sp what is circumlocution?

It is both skill and gift...

And circumlocution, as anyone with any kind of head injury knows, is an essential superpower.

As someone working toward fluency in multiple languages (any Japanese or Spanish speakers out there- language partners?), circumlocution has always served me well in proficiency exams.  Beyond that it helps in conversations I have in non-native languages.  And yes it can be clunky, if not awkward not having the word you want at the time you want it, however I posit that it is also a spark for growth.

Researchers from varied backgrounds or those who study brain trauma or strokes will tell you the science supports the concept of neuroplasticity. I'm curious if they would know if there is any connection between circumlocution and expansion of our synaptic networks. (And if they don't have any information around that, then that may be the basis of my next thesis.)

Teachers, in any specialty, use a closely related skill (which I don’t have the word for) to teach to people with different learning styles and backgrounds.  They articulate a concept one way, and if it is not understood by their pupil, then they must pivot or find other language to help them guide that pupil to the understanding they seek.

So why am I sharing this?  Because I feel it can increase awareness and acceptance of the impact of any kind of brain injury.  And circumlocution is a skill for all of us to work on- for the health of our neural networks and to help us reach those who may not understand our language on the first channel we use.

Begin small- words matter. what we say ahs impact. Sometimes what we don't say is even more impactful. Sp finish reading this email and start your daily meal prep "like the boss you are!"

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So the challenge, should you choose to accept it, is simple: look for one opportunity today where you circumlocute your way to better connection and understanding.  Change it up.  Pay attention to the recipient of your communication- how are they responding?

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Let me know how it goes and happy circumlocuting! 

#Resilience #Circumlocution #EmbraceTheWholePerson #BrainInjury