Music is a talent that has become part of my personality and my ability to build character. I’ve been accustomed the ability to play a musical instrument that has benefited me in many different ways throughout the past several years. I have the ability to read music which in return would make it possible for me to not only play my alto saxophone, but also play a piano if I wanted to. Miss Lucy said, “Your lives are set out for you (Ishiguro 81)” and I believe that because in a way, because I found music, I found myself. My musical talent has increased my focus in school in most if not all of my subjects. Having a talent in music provides entertainment and joy for others who aren’t musically talented, but it also has benefits for the musician. Being musically talented can actually help an individual relieve stress and they tend to look at the world differently than others. Musicians also show a greater display of emotions than those who obtain no musical ability.
Everyone has their own way of expressing themselves. Artists do it through painting or sculpting, writers do it through writing, poets do it by creating poetry, and musicians do it by creating, playing, or listening to music. Having musical talent isn’t just about providing entertainment or using emotions. Most people who play or can read music have stronger math, reading, and comprehension skills than others. Us musicians also tend to have better hand-eye coordination because of needing to reading music and us the right keys based on what the note is. Some people may think that this sounds easy, but let me say that I know firsthand how challenging this can actually be, especially when it’s a fast paced song with sixteenth notes. We also have stronger memories because a lot of repetition is used and most music instructors make their students memorize their music. Knowledge in everyday subjects such as history and english tend to be easier for most of those with musical talent.
Most people only associate music with the arts, but it can be associated with every major subject. History can be associated because of its close connection with cultural history. Math can be associated because it’s needed for determining how long a note or rest is for and also for the time signature. Science is my favorite for being associated because most people don’t realize that having an instrument and taking care of it so that it works is a science because it should never be exposed to extreme temperatures or conditions. In most circumstances, being talented in something means requires specific skills, but it also makes them stronger and builds new skills. Music requires focus, listening skills, and occasionally team skills.
All of these skills were something I wasn’t confident with when I started playing my saxophone in 5th grade. One skill that wasn’t very strong and barely existed was my focus skills. I have had a major improvement with that in the past several years and I’m proud of myself for it. Just like any other talent, the required skills are tested to their limit only to help them improve. In music, patience is something that is needed and quite often tested, but only to improve my music and ability to focus for long periods of time. Being good at something and having a passion for it requires skills based on what the talent is. For me, music requires many skills yet I find that every day they are tested and they grow stronger and stronger as a result. For most people, being athletic is a talent that strengthens your health concerning your muscles mainly. In my case, music does the exact same thing, except it’s not muscle strength that improves, it’s respiratory health. Most people don’t believe me when I tell them that, but I have actual proof that my respiratory system has improved since I began playing my alto saxophone. When I was younger, I used to have asthma badly and I needed an inhaler every day.
Within maybe three years of playing my instrument, my asthma disappeared almost entirely and I no longer needed to use and inhaler. My doctor couldn’t even believe that by using my lungs more often I basically eliminated my asthma. When I heard this news, I was extremely excited and I felt calm yet confused that it had just disappeared. Kathy said once, “I’d felt comforted, protected almost (Ishiguro 137).” Thinking back, that was exactly how I felt when my doctor told me I no longer needed to use my inhaler. The amount of joy that I have when I play my instrument, knowing that I don’t have to worry about my asthma anymore is immense. Music has helped me overcome my asthma and I think that’s where I began to really connect with it and started to develop a deep passion for it.
The amount of change that has happened in my life since I developed a passion and talent in music is unbelievable. I used to be this shy girl that would only listen to music in the car, but all that has changed since I have learned what a powerful thing it is. I never used to sing in the car with friends as a result of being picked on because I can’t sing, but one time I did without thinking and I realized that not everyone is perfect so there should be nothing to be afraid of. It’s like Kathy says, “This time around it wasn’t awkward or embarrassing any more; just somber and serious (Ishiguro 88).” I now listen to music everywhere I am, if I can, and I find myself singing along no matter who’s around or where I am. I always have music on in my room, or I’m in my car listening to a playlist that I made or at the beach sharing my playlist and seeing what others think of it. Music is more than just a song, artist, notes, or melody. To me, music is my passion and because I’m passionate about it I understand more about it than most people that I know. Music is all around you every day, no matter where you are, but most people just don’t realize it.
Music makes me stop and listen to the song whether it’s the lyrics, the instrumental part, or simply just the entire song itself. Different songs create different emotions for different people and they can have a different affect on those who listen depending on who’s listening and what their past is, and I completely support that statement. Giving up my musical talent and my passion would be challenging I fully admit, but I feel as if someone would benefit from it just as much, if not more, as I have. Music is most likely the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have shaped into a student in school who understands things with more detail than I used to and I believe that this is because of music.
From other people’s perspective, I think that they can tell how much music means to me. I’m part of the marching band at school as well as the concert band. I’m even the section leader of the alto saxophones, which proves that music strengthens team skills. To some people I understand that I may seem nerdy or a geek because I’m in the school band, but I have learned to ignore all of those comments and remarks from them because this is what I love to do and it allows me to express myself freely. Being part of the high school band is one decision that I’m glad I did. Since becoming part of the high school band, I have made new friends in all different grades and with different personalities. We all have two things in common though, our passion for music and our ability to be talented doing what we have learned to do. Nothing can describe the amount of respect and support we all give to each other in the music program at Bellingham High School. Those of us in the music program are among the most active and motivated students in the school, all because of the positive effect music has had on us.
Music has taught me lessons in life that no teacher could have ever taught me, and I’m so thankful for being able to have this talent in my life. Music can be a sport in many ways, it creates friendships, makes you a better and stronger person, and most importantly it builds character. By creating friendships in music, I have learned that I’m not the only one with a passion for it. I can go to other members of the band and talk to them about a song on the radio and see what they thought it meant and see if they have a different view than I do. Music has strengthened my respiratory system, but it has also strengthened my reading ability, and my ability to believe in myself. By completing assignments every quarter, I set a goal to learn a certain section of a piece and I always reach the deadline I set for myself. I challenge myself to be a better musician constantly and I am filled with pride and joy once I reach my goal and overcome the obstacle. Not only do I understand thing better in school, but I also seem to understand life a little more than other students do.
Most songs are written about current life or current events, and by being able to interpret what a song means, I’m able to understand what is going on in that artist’s world or the world in general. Finally, music has this indescribable way of reaching my emotions like nothing else can. I’m positive that everyone has gotten chills down their arms for at least one song because the music just sounds and feels that amazing. This happens to me for every six out of ten songs I listen to. I’m not sure why songs trigger more of my emotions than other, but I can’t say that I’m complaining. Music makes me feel alive and this passion is something that I would love to share with someone who doesn’t or is unable to experience music like I do. Music provides joy and happiness and I would be miserable without it. I am thankful for music because music the world’s voice and without it, the world would be silent and that would be a terrible thing.
A Genuine Interest In The Pursuit Of A Career In Psychology
I took my first introduction to psychology course in 9th grade; it was there that I first determined I would eventually seek out a career in this field. I come from generations of healthcare workers— doctors, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists. Helping those with compromised well-being was all I ever knew and all I ever wanted to do. Once I graduated from high school, I began my college career as a psychology major, before eventually realizing I wanted to be able to look at an individual’s complete health and therefore provide more holistic care. The switch to nursing has afforded me the opportunity to observe the effects of deteriorating mental health status on one’s physical health and vice versa.
I would now like to take my current scope of practice as a registered nurse a step further to become an advanced practice nurse, specifically a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. I place great personal value in the concept of lifelong learning; after all, a commitment to lifelong learning is vital in such a constantly evolving field. I want the ability to reach as many people as possible through education and treatment, ultimately helping to end the stigma against something that affects one out of every five people in this country. I have served as a passionate advocate for those suffering from mental illness in my community. My first real exposure to emotional and behavioral disorders came in the form of youth in the foster care system.
This vulnerable population has an incredibly unique set of needs that are often left unmet, or worse, completely unacknowledged. After completing a project in one of my nursing classes about the nurse’s role and ethical issues surrounding children placed in foster care, I volunteered to serve a two-year term as a member of one of Davidson County’s foster care review boards.
These boards are composed primarily of community volunteers that review about a dozen cases each month of children that are in state custody. Medical, dental, and academic records and assessments are examined before the board makes recommendations to the court to ensure each child’s emotional, physical, mental health and social needs are not being neglected. There was one day in particular that will forever stand out in my mind.
A teenage girl was discussing with the board the progress she had made in the months prior to this meeting. She would be turning eighteen soon, and this was the first meeting to ensure her a smooth transition into the real world. Her truancy and acts of self-mutilation had been replaced by positive coping skills, a part time job at a fast food restaurant, and passing grades in school.
This confident young lady was in stark contrast to the former juvenile delinquent with an extensive history of physical and mental abuse that her paperwork described. She temporarily walked out of the room with her caseworker to allow the board to privately discuss any questions or concerns. A retired teacher sitting to my left expressed concern and dismay that a 17-year-old had been prescribed Prozac, noting she was awfully young to have already been started on an antidepressant medication. She collectively asked the group if that should not be re-evaluated. Being the only one on this particular board with any sort of medical training, I felt compelled to speak up.
Usually more of a quiet, reserved introvert, my inner self was initially taken aback when I immediately and almost defensively responded with, “it’s a SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor—it’s one of the safest and most widely approved antidepressants on the market.” I continued to explain myself, pointing out that none of us knew the full extent of this girl’s past trauma, that while it may be alarming to some, children and adolescents can suffer from depression just like adults. I explained that this class of antidepressants is considered the first-line treatment option and least likely to cause bothersome side effects.
I voiced my opinion that if Prozac had in any way contributed to this young lady’s higher quality of life, she should continue taking it as prescribed. A genuine interest in the mental health field has been my prime motivator for the past decade. It took me a little while to gain access to the incredibly private world of behavioral health, but there is no doubt in my mind that it is exactly where I want to be. I want to help children, adolescents, and young adults learn to deal and cope with their illnesses early on in the disease process. Treating patients at a younger age enables them to live more stable and fulfilling lives sooner without mental illness wreaking havoc on their relationships, academic opportunities, and physical well-being.
As a whole, our society needs to move in a direction where mental illnesses are treated early and often rather than keeping it locked away, stigmatized and ignored. Where primary prevention, early treatment and education go, less severe symptomology and better outcomes are more likely to follow. Additionally, when society brings mental illness out of the shadows and into the light, a sense of normalcy and acceptance can replace the feelings of shame and hopelessness that currently hang overhead like a dark cloud. Access to mental health care, or lack thereof, has been making headlines recently, as America faces a critical shortage of mental healthcare providers.
Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners will prove to be invaluable members of the healthcare team, as recent policy changes and legislation attempt to make mental health treatment more readily available to consumers. By furthering my education, I will be able to fulfill my desire to counsel young people with psychiatric disorders to help enable them to pursue their dreams, while simultaneously allowing me to pursue my dream job.
I am excited to delve deeply into the academics of mental health. I want to continue pursuing further degrees, as the knowledge base of behavioral health grows by leaps and bounds continuously in this day in age. A Master’s degree serves as the first stepping-stone to the lifelong path of continuing my education. I have a desire to know the latest and greatest evidence based interventions, treatments, and theories currently available. Psychiatric nursing has proved to be a specialty with a unique set of challenges, challenges that require a unique set of skills. Not just anyone is cut out for a job in behavioral health.
Compassion, empathy, patience, good listening and keen observational skills, and the ability to maintain a calm, confident, and professional exterior in potentially hazardous situations are just a few qualities found in the best psychiatric nurses. We must have the ability to gain trust with patients that have every reason in the world not to trust a soul; we must develop a rapport with those during some of the lowest, most vulnerable times in their lives.
Most importantly, one’s heart must truly be in it if he or she expects to make a career out of psychiatric nursing. Although I’ve only been working with this population for two and a half years, it is what I’ve known I wanted to do for over ten years. I am passionate about helping, serving, treating, advocating, and caring for the mentally ill population. One of the best ways I know to do this is by obtaining my Master’s of Science in Nursing with a concentration in mental health nursing.
The Pursuit Of My Desire To Help Others Through A Career In Clinical Psychology
During my eighteen years of existence, I have always found a passion for helping others and listening to them so that they can resolve their issues. However, during my high school years, I found it quite challenging to choose a career path that I could enjoy and pursue in my life. Yet, with the help of extraordinary counselors and teachers, I found the perfect career that suits me quite well. With extreme difficulty choosing my career path, I believe that a clinical psychologist amuses me and I intend to major in psychology and get all my college degrees in psychology.
Although, this may be a challenge I will strive to accomplish the goals I have planned out for my future and try to help others by becoming an extraordinary psychologist. However, it was not only the inspiration of my teachers and counselors that made me choose a career path it was also another person that inspired me, and she was a psychologist, and her name was Yolanda.
Since Yolanda has helped me realize that there is always somebody there to listen to our problems even when life may make it seem like we are utterly lonely and useless at some points in time, and she has made an impact on people’s lives. She is an inspiration and my role model, and I live up to being an extraordinary psychologist and making an impact on others life so they will not feel as lonely as I did at one point in time. With all this being said Yolanda worked at the Alliance Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault and she did individual counseling and even group counseling of the survivors of either family violence or sexual assault and also both sometimes. On a daily basis, clinical psychologists are there for people with issues that may feel like the problem has no resolution. However, being a psychologist entails, for a better chance of comprehending human behavior, memory, and even classifying mental disorders.
Even if psychologist may earn $73,270 per year on average, their counseling promotes safety and understand peoples physical and mental health. Although psychologist may be known to counsel people individually or in groups on a daily basis, they also can work in organizations such as the government to even government institutions. With that being said working in a profession, such as an educational workplace or a governmental facility helps the profession of psychology advance for the better. For example, even if most psychologists are not hired by a specific organization the ones that make an impact by improving services and also can determine why a particular place is either succeeding or miserably failing.
Even if psychologists can improve the lives of others, it is quite difficult to find a job nowadays since psychology is one of the few majors that has numerous amounts of people that are unemployed after they graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Nevertheless, becoming a psychologist may be an arduous journey, but I know I will not give up and become one of the few people that become unemployed because it is quite challenging to find a career that few people find a passion for nowadays. Since I am trying to achieve all my goals in the future, I should begin to comprehend all the key terms and significant people that are well known in the study of psychology.
Yet, in order for me to do that, I will need to dedicate a massive amount of time to studying and after I accomplish that I will need to focus on my future goals as a clinical psychologist. Although, it may take me a couple of years to gain my doctorates I will still need another few years to become an intern, but I am capable of doing anything to achieve all of my goals and succeeding and trying to obtain a marvelous future.
Also, my future can make an impact on others and hopefully make others feel like they belong and stop them from being upset and try to make all the people I counsel achieve happiness and forget about the harm that made them feel sad, to begin with. Furthermore, I may not be the brightest person on the planet, but I am certain that I want to be the person that makes an impact on just one marvelous human being to even changing thelives of at least a few dozen. With all this being said I will be successful because I have my mind set to do things in my future for not only myself but to benefit and help others along the way of my career.