What is a spirit? Why is tending to this part of you beneficial for your well-being? How do you tend to it? We’ll cover these questions in the final installment of our 10-part Wellness Series.
Risks to believing biases about differing abilities can cause under expression of them in public and private settings2. With doing what gives your life meaning at stake, it’s useful to know for yourself, versus what others say is “good” or “bad”, what self-expression means to you.
Defining Intelligence
Intelligence is the ability to do something at a specific time1. The automatic image of that skill varies due to people’s perspectives and lived experiences. If I say, “They’re so smart!”, what “smart” did you think of? More to the point, how do you define intelligence?
Scholars have debated the most accurate and comprehensive definition of intelligence and even the validity and effectiveness of the topic itself for over 40 years1,4,5. Regardless, defining and measuring intelligence has benefits in determining needs in academic, work, personal, military, research, and therapeutic settings1,2. Still, the differences between what people consider smart can cause disadvantages too if not understood.
Embodiment for Intellectual Wellness
Promoting awareness of the types of intellect then becomes necessary to embody intellectual wellness. Doing so despite these potential damages demands connecting with what you sense to be your true self. There isn’t one “real” self, but rather multi-faceted parts of your self (i.e., self-concepts) that emerge as needed in various settings.
Intellectual wellness practices seek to reinforce enduring self-relevant characteristics2. These characteristics include memories and motivations in momentary experiences you deem necessary to meet contextual demands2. Labeling these characteristics as likable or dislikable is irrelevant to noticing and accepting what is and is not your preferred state (ability/skill) or trait (tendency) in relationship to the various types of intelligence, and aligning behavioral decisions with these facts2,3.
2020; Gilbertson et al., 2022).
Intellectual wellness practices seek to reinforce enduring self-relevant characteristics2. These characteristics include memories and motivations in momentary experiences you deem necessary to meet contextual demands2. Labeling these characteristics as likable or dislikable is irrelevant to noticing and accepting what is and is not your preferred state (ability/skill) or trait (tendency) in relationship to the various types of intelligence, and aligning behavioral decisions with these facts2,3.
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (a.k.a. Different Types of Smart)
Practice neutral awareness and acceptance of your state and trait characteristics related to each of the 9 types of intelligence:
Musical Intelligence (Music Smart): “performance and composition of music”1
Thinking in patterns, rhythms, and sounds4
Increased sensitivity to sound others don’t notice6
Ability to “learn well through songs, patterns, rhythms, instruments, and musical expression”8
Understanding the link between music and emotions5
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (Body Smart): “control of bodily movements”1
Ability to learn well “by doing, rather than hearing or seeing”4
Symbolic movement is used to express feelings and ideas5,6
Distinct sense of timing6
“[L]earn best through activity: games, movement, hands-on tasks [and experiments], building”8
Logical-mathematical Intelligence (Reasoning Smart): “problem-solving ability”1
Ability to create ideas about and solve problems related to “numbers, relationships, and patterns”4
Learn well through sequences, experiments, and playing games involving strategy and puzzles4,6,8
Linguistic Intelligence (Word Smart): “use of language”1
“[S]ensitivity to sounds, meanings and rhythms of words”8
Ability to share humor, feelings, and thoughts with words4,6
Learn and self-express well through “written and spoken information”4
Visual-Spatial Intelligence (Picture Smart): “ability to work [well] with 3-dimensional objects”1,5
Ability to think accurately and abstractly” in images and pictures8
“Interpret, organize, and learn best via] pictures, graphs, and charts”, “maps, tables, illustrations, art, puzzles, costumes” 4,8
Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart): “interaction with and understanding of others”1
Skilled in verbal and nonverbal cues for “determining temperament and mood”, conflict resolution, and understanding others’ cultural experiences4,6,8
Learns well in “groups or with a partner”8
“Capacity to detect and respond appropriately to the moods, motivations and desires of others”8
Intrapersonal Intelligence (Self Smart): “self-awareness”1, self-acceptance, and alignment of behavioral decisions with this “accepting awareness”2
“Understand the basis for [one’s] own motivations and feelings”4
Self-regulation8 (Read our Emotional Wellness installment for more found here.)
Distinct awareness of “own feelings, values and ideas…intuitive about what they learn and [their thought patterns]”8
Naturalistic Intelligence (Nature Smart): “knowledge and understanding of nature”1
“Categorize and catalog information easily”4
Understanding of “living entities”, “animals”, and “plant life”5
“[S]ensitive to subtle changes in nature and the environment around them”6
Existential Intelligence (Spirit Smart): “ability to delve into deeper questions about [death], life and existence”4
Learns well by asking questions related to the “context of where humankind” exists in the world, “our role” in it, “why do we die?”, and “how did we get here?”8
Recommendations for and Benefits of Intellectual Wellness Application
Rather than concluding prematurely ‘I’m picture smart” or “I’m reasoning smart”, it may be more helpful to say, “In this setting, I am…or I am not…” as a way of practicing “accepting awareness”2 and embodying decisions to meet present needs. You can practice this by asking: (1) How does this setting relate to my values and goals? (2) What type(s) of intelligence is this setting asking of me? (3) What is my tendency related to this/these type(s) of intelligence? (4) Which of my characteristics and resources in my environment can help me in this moment to do what this setting is asking of me?. Other questions can include asking yourself: (5) What abilities from when I was younger have stayed with me to this point in my life? (6) How have I adapted or can I adapt these abilities to my life now? (7) Which of them bring me happiness when I do them? (7) Which of them don’t? (8) What can I do to accommodate these patterns in my life?
This reflection can allow you to use all of your types of intelligence - preferences and aversions - and to let them flow in and out of awareness as needed to complete situational demands. According to Klussman et. al (2022), this flow can lead to benefits including:
Greater subjective well-being achieved through seeking meaningful experiences that promote self-actualization (i.e., the full development of your abilities)
Greater long-term task completion
Greater satisfaction while striving to complete goals
Less likely to be influenced negatively by social comparisons
Less unhelpful rumination, defensive reactions, and stress
Vitality and self-esteem
Greater happiness by aligning behavioral decisions that reinforce your values and goals (i.e., connect with the most enduring parts of your self)
Closing Thoughts
Use your intelligence types to be true to your most enduring characteristics and meet situational demands. Consider your beliefs and cultural influences about expectations regarding what characteristics you associate with being smart. Challenge these positive or negative beliefs and influences by practicing neutral accepting awareness of your preferred and avoided types of intelligence. Apply your situational abilities and general tendencies as needed to create ideas, solve problems, make art, consider meaning, and add your unique and necessary part to the beauty of life.
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