Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Personality types -- Heart or Brain?

I am a sucker for those theories that neatly separate the entire human race into several succinct personality types.  We have the colors, the seasonsenneagrams (Can't explain the title.), fashion types, and variations on the theme.  I could spend hours analyzing and categorizing myself and everyone I know ..... Sanguine-Yellow-Smart-Casual, or a Type 4-Subtype-2-Romantic-Spring.  Some of you hate this kind of thing and your eyes are already glazing over, but just know that your distaste for personality typing is an indication of your type.  The rest of you, and you know who you are, are already critiquing my examples and thinking ... Type 4s are SO not romantics!

The simple fact that when I can't figure where I fit in some theory,  means I must then research it obsessively till I do, says something about my type.  (I STILL haven't nailed down my season and which colors I should wear ....  blues or yellows, gold or silver ...... ???!)

Then we have the Five Love Languages, and I am split between Words of Affirmation and Quality Time, but sometimes Acts of Service looks really good ... especially when the fruit trees need pruning.   Whereas Husband, and practically ALL men it seems, speak in the language of Touch.   Fortunately neither of us gives a hoot for Receiving Gifts, or we'd drive each other crazy.

Or ....  which Winnie the Pooh character are you?  I am Eeyore.  Love that realistic, glass-half-empty outlook.


What is the appeal of all this?  I'm not sure, but one thing is that it certainly helps me understand others better and to stop expecting them all to be like me.

For example, in enneagrams where there are nine types, Husband is a classic Two.  Twos love to take care of people.  Some Twos can go too far, becoming doormats to the rest of the population, and needy people will quickly zero in on any Twos in a crowd.   Husband truly lives his Two-ness, going far out of his way to serve, care for, and basically always put everyone else ahead of him.  I have learned to not wait for him to eat at a buffet dinner because he will insist that everyone go ahead of him in line.  I just get my food and find someone interesting with which to sit, and hopefully see him during dessert.  It's lovely being married to a Two, because he would happily dote on me from morning till night.  However, it also means I must share him with the rest of humanity, as people are drawn to Twos and their inability to say no.  I am a One, and therefore must fix the world.  So watch out.

I have also come up with my own personality-type theory which has only two categories.  I call them Heart people or Brain people.

Heart people are led by their ..... hearts.  Logic is not always their friend, because their heart is in command.  Husband, as you may have guessed, is very much a Heart person.  Little children, animals, and elderly women adore him and at church he MUST shake every hand in the room.  He will disregard time, reason, and any form of practicality to just add another touch of warmth to any situation.  And if you are family, you WILL get a hug upon every meeting.

I, on the other hand, am a Brain person.  If you can't be logical, then leave me alone.  I want facts and common sense, and can lose patience with Heart people and all their mushiness.  I like to cut out the fluff and just get to the point.   Bothering as few people as possible, is a creed that speaks to my soul, or in other words .... you take care of you, and I'll take care of me, and we'll all get along.  If I wasn't naturally tempered by female-ness, I'd be a classic Henry Higgins of My Fair Lady.  I DO care deeply about people, but I don't have to hug someone if I just saw him/her last week.

So what type are you?  Do you love people and attention?  Or do you prefer solitude and shy away from the limelight?  Should you wear bold and contrasting colors, or sink into soft pastels and ruffles?  Do you thrust your opinions upon everyone like Rabbit, love to hear yourself pontificate like Owl, or lapse into indecision like Pooh?  Does your spontaneity make you fun, or undependable?  Or must you have calendars, schedules, and structure to keep you sane?  Do you love or hate this kind of thing ........?  Careful, your answer is sending you into a type.

Finally, to quote wise words from Pride and Prejudice (the A&E version) .....

"... but Lizzy, not everyone is the same."

So true.





2 comments:

  1. GREAT post!!! Though I'm not sure about myself. I know Dad and I are similar in personalities, but I do love practicality and can't stand too much mushiness. (Unless it's Jane Austen of course!)

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