Monday, December 20, 2010
Personality...I think I have one...but which one??
Well it has happened once again...my sweet motivated, brainy friend has dragged me into another challenge. I try to steer clear of her brilliant ideas, schemes and "learning programs" but somehow, she is contagious. I used to think that I was motivated until Lindsay and her energy made me come face to face with my complacency. I'm realizing that I was ok with status quo...and uh, this is not necessarily a good thing. Apparently she wants to be in business with a partner that thinks big, dreams big oh and writes big checks (but thats another story).
Lindsay is forcing me to read..I am reading this great book upon her recommendation, and I'm actually enjoying what I am learning. Before I say more, I have to tell you how I read. I look at all of the chapter titles and then skip around to the ones that I think are the most interesting (don't tell her that). So in this book titled "mentored by a millionaire" and I skipped to chapter 2 where he has a personality profile "test" to take and then he explains what all of the different personalities mean. I thought this looked like the only fun part in the book...anyway...If anyone is wondering, I am dominantly "golden retriever" with a subdominant type of "lion". To put it simply I am a sweet easy going door mat that will jump up and bite your head off if you ask me too many questions, I will always put your needs first, unless my patience has worn out then I will demand that you organize your cupboards and while I listen to you complain, but I will respond with encouraging words. Wow, I am seriously neurotic!!!
So when I first started thinking about all of this "personality stuff", I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and REALLY think about it.
Of course for me, that means dragging my husband into it as a guinea pig and then helping him to learn. (by this I mean telling him all the ways that he is wrong and I am right). But for real, what is hitting me all of a sudden, is that we are all different. WOW you say, big revelation!! Maybe this is not earth shattering to you, but for me, it kind of is...
We are all different, not wrong, not right, just different.
We should all be able to read that a couple of times, and I should end here, but the Lion in me just cant do it...Sorry.
I like to be right. (again that pesky Lion!) I have a hard time admitting that I am wrong (big surprise to my husband...the analytical Beaver!) This is not a great trait!! I don't like to talk on the phone, I don't like a lot of information. I like to make a decision and be done. I sound like a real ?&*#% hu? But you know what?? I am crazy compassionate, I will have your back no matter what. I would give anything up for my family, and I would do anything for a friend. I take on your grief, and your sorrow, and I would give you the shirt off my back, and the biggest check I can write along with it!! Am I redeemed yet???
So I guess what this all means is that we all have great weaknesses, and even greater strengths, it is all in how we use them....and...those around us have different strengths and weaknesses, and we should appreciate them! And really, thank goodness for this fact! How ridiculously boring would this world be if we were all the same. How cool would it be if we all could encourage each other instead of being so judgmental and self serving. I want to lean on my husband for his strength where I am weak, and give Lindsay control when I don't know what the heck I am doing! Also, I am going to stop beating myself up for not having it all together. I am designed to be a certain way and I am beginning to understand me. Cool. Now, what I am not saying is stay the same...be who you are...HMMMM let me see if I can say this right...be WHO you are, but a gentler, softer version of you. If you are a "go get em and kill everyone who gets in your way" type person, CHILL...if you are a door mat, TOUGHEN UP...if you are so worried about being liked that you stifle your logic, SPEAK OUT. You get what I am saying?? Use your strengths in a productive way, and recognize your weaknesses and grow from them. We need to back up off those around us, and I think our kids should be included in this. Just because they do things differently, does not mean they are wrong. Lets all understand and appreciate one another instead of thinking we are right and everyone else is wrong...or is that just me???
What are your greatest strengths, and obvious weaknesses??? We want to know!!!
And please share us with your friends...unless they are perfect, we just wont be cool enough for them!
So when I first started thinking about all of this "personality stuff", I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and REALLY think about it.
Of course for me, that means dragging my husband into it as a guinea pig and then helping him to learn. (by this I mean telling him all the ways that he is wrong and I am right). But for real, what is hitting me all of a sudden, is that we are all different. WOW you say, big revelation!! Maybe this is not earth shattering to you, but for me, it kind of is...
We are all different, not wrong, not right, just different.
We should all be able to read that a couple of times, and I should end here, but the Lion in me just cant do it...Sorry.
I like to be right. (again that pesky Lion!) I have a hard time admitting that I am wrong (big surprise to my husband...the analytical Beaver!) This is not a great trait!! I don't like to talk on the phone, I don't like a lot of information. I like to make a decision and be done. I sound like a real ?&*#% hu? But you know what?? I am crazy compassionate, I will have your back no matter what. I would give anything up for my family, and I would do anything for a friend. I take on your grief, and your sorrow, and I would give you the shirt off my back, and the biggest check I can write along with it!! Am I redeemed yet???
So I guess what this all means is that we all have great weaknesses, and even greater strengths, it is all in how we use them....and...those around us have different strengths and weaknesses, and we should appreciate them! And really, thank goodness for this fact! How ridiculously boring would this world be if we were all the same. How cool would it be if we all could encourage each other instead of being so judgmental and self serving. I want to lean on my husband for his strength where I am weak, and give Lindsay control when I don't know what the heck I am doing! Also, I am going to stop beating myself up for not having it all together. I am designed to be a certain way and I am beginning to understand me. Cool. Now, what I am not saying is stay the same...be who you are...HMMMM let me see if I can say this right...be WHO you are, but a gentler, softer version of you. If you are a "go get em and kill everyone who gets in your way" type person, CHILL...if you are a door mat, TOUGHEN UP...if you are so worried about being liked that you stifle your logic, SPEAK OUT. You get what I am saying?? Use your strengths in a productive way, and recognize your weaknesses and grow from them. We need to back up off those around us, and I think our kids should be included in this. Just because they do things differently, does not mean they are wrong. Lets all understand and appreciate one another instead of thinking we are right and everyone else is wrong...or is that just me???
What are your greatest strengths, and obvious weaknesses??? We want to know!!!
And please share us with your friends...unless they are perfect, we just wont be cool enough for them!
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2 comments:
My greatest strength is probably my empathy.... However, instead of bearing those burdens to the Lord, sometimes I carry them all around on my own shoulders until I feel like I might go crazy. Burden bearers, or those with the "mercy gift", can easily fall into depression and even addiction to cope. So... for I have to always go to the Lord. Pray pray pray unceasingly. Not long prayers, but short prayers shot like "arrows" to heaven!
I wouldn't make you clean your cupboards and listen to you complain about it. I would clean the cupboards and then b@#$ch the minute you walked out the door.
See I will give anything and everything of myself for friends/family, but at times my motives are really self serving.
So I go from doormat to raging lunatic in record time, at any given time. Makes my "go with the flow and only give when it is necessary and does not distrupt your own life too much" hubby. Who really is the most selfless person I have ever known.
So my strengths and my weaknesses can all be the same, it is really more a question of motivation.
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