Short attention span

Well, it didn’t take long. I figured when I started this blog ‘experiment’, that I would get bored with it before too long, and I have.

Maybe that’s one of my personality traits, but when it comes to social media, I try it, and use it for a while, but I lose interest fast.

Anyway, to those who liked my posts, and commented and followed, I say ‘Thank you’. I am going to leave this blog active for now, but probably won’t be adding anything new in the near future unless my mindset changes.

Be well, and enjoy the holidays! Merry Christmas! 🙂

So…they tell me I’m an ISTJ

So apparently after taking a few different MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) personality tests, my personality type usually comes up as ISTJ (Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)… a couple of the results came up as ISFJ.  I know some people that might be tempted to give me other labels. 🙂

There are many versions of this test online, and depending on they way the questions are worded,  your results may vary somewhat.

I won’t list all the traits for the ISTJ, but you can find them as well as the other 16 types here.

Obviously people are much more complex than these 16 personality types, but it’s a good way to see what general type you associate with most often.

Have you taken the MBTI test? What type are you?

 

 

 

 

 

Look at me…Not!

Understanding someone whose personality type is the polar opposite of your own, can be challenging to say the least.

I’m not one who wants to be in the spotlight, and I’ve always wondered why some people seem to constantly need attention drawn to themselves.  I tend to be quiet, and I don’t understand people who feel the need to talk constantly. I don’t like crowds or noise, and cannot comprehend why anyone would want to go to a club where there is standing room only, and you have to yell to be heard over the music and others talking.

On the flip side of this, most people do not understand me, and I’ve probably angered people over the years when I avoid going to parties and large gatherings. I’ve tried hard at times (especially in my teens) to try and be more outgoing, and live more like the extrovert personality, but what I found is that it just tires me out. I don’t enjoy it…I can do it, and frequently do, but I don’t enjoy it.

I would rather live my life, and not be noticed by everyone, as opposed to some people who practically scream ‘LOOK AT ME!’, by putting signs on their cars, or in their front lawns boasting that they were in the military, or that they’re a fireman, or whatever. Don’t get me wrong, I respect people that join the military and who are firemen…etc.  I think it’s great that they serve, and I appreciate the sacrifice they make.  I’m also sure that those few don’t represent the majority.  I guess my point is, I don’t think I’ll ever understand the need to seek attention in that way…just like they’ll probably never understand me and my personality quirks.

I recently took a few of the Myers-Briggs type personality tests online, and I’ll be sharing the results in my next post. 🙂

 

 

 

Peace of Mind

Since I don’t have much to write about this week, I thought I’d share the lyrics to one of my favorite songs…

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“Peace Of Mind” by Boston

Now if you’re feelin’ kinda low ’bout the dues you’ve been paying
Future’s coming much too slow
And you wanna run but somehow you just keep on stayin’
Can’t decide on which way to go
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I understand about indecision
But I don’t care if I get behind
People livin’ in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Now you’re climbin’ to the top of the company ladder
Hope it doesn’t take too long
Can’tcha you see there’ll come a day when it won’t matter
Come a day when you’ll be gone

I understand about indecision
But I don’t care if I get behind
People livin’ in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Take a look ahead, take a look ahead, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…

Now everybody’s got advice they just keep on givin’
Doesn’t mean too much to me
Lot’s of people out to make-believe they’re livin’
Can’t decide who they should be.

I understand about indecision
But I don’t care if I get behind
People livin’ in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Take a look ahead, take a look ahead. Look ahead.

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You can hear the song here…

Boston is one of my favorite groups, and I definitely can relate to the lyrics, especially the line ‘All I want is to have my peace of mind.’

What song lyrics have special meaning to you?

Eye of the beholder

Ever wonder how other people see the world around them?  Do colors look the same to everyone?  Do people notice the same details that you do about things?

I’m realizing just how different people really are.  My wife is a very talented photographer, who can take what looks to me like an ordinary scene, and capture the most amazing photographs.  I’m completely blind to the things that she sees when taking pictures, but the results are always impressive.

Likewise, I have a fascination with watching birds, that most people just don’t ‘get’.  Many people see a bird on a feeder, or in a tree,  and they might recognize the type of bird, but that’s the extent of what they see.  I find myself noticing the intricacies of the feathers, the color patterns, the beak types, the tail size and shape…etc.  Then, once I’ve determined the type of bird, I’ll study it’s behavior.  I’ve seen different personalities in the same types of birds…seen them exhibit all types of ’emotions’…anger, jealousy, fear…etc.

I guess what I’m starting to see, is just how diverse people really are.  Labels such as Introverted, and Extroverted, are just one small descriptor for a very complex human being.

Now if people would just stop trying to change everyone else into their own image…but that’s another topic for another time. 🙂

What do you find you tend to see differently than others?

Rows of bobbleheads

I never did well in school.  My teachers frequently said I ‘wasn’t working up to my potential’.  What I realize now, is that I just don’t learn well in the standard school environment. Sitting in a classroom with 20 other people listening to one person talk about a subject, just doesn’t work for me. I would find myself daydreaming, doodling in the notebook that I was supposed to be taking notes in, or watching other people’s reactions to the teacher. I frequently was in trouble in school, just because I was bored, and wanted to do something to liven things up. Unfortunately, the teachers didn’t usually find my antics as amusing as I did.

I seem to learn best while doing something myself, usually if no one is looking over my shoulder to see my mistakes. I’m ok making mistakes when learning, I just don’t like them being critiqued by someone else. I’m perfectly able to figure out what I did wrong on my own thanks!

The introvert in me really cringed when a teacher uttered the phrase ‘class participation‘. It was bad enough that I had to sit through the class, don’t ask me to get up in front, and do anything. I’m sure there are ways to overcome that fear, but for me, whenever I had to go through something like that, it just made it that much harder for me the next time.

It’s unfortunate, but understandable that the majority of teaching, both in schools and corporate environments is the classroom lecture style. I understand it because the majority of people learn that way, its just unfortunate for the few of us that do not.

What method of teaching works best for you?

On the plus side

One of the advantages I find to having an introvert personality, is that I don’t feel the need to always be with other people, nor do I always feel the need to be talking to someone.  The reason I think this is a plus, is that I don’t get lonely as easy as most people. I enjoy being alone…not that I always want to be alone, but i don’t fear it at all.

‘Peace and quiet’ may seem boring to some, but for me it is a necessity. It allows me to relax, relieves stress, and generally puts me in a better frame of mind. Once I’ve had some quiet, alone time, I handle the chaos better.

I find that I notice things many people miss in the world around them. Birds for example. People obviously notice birds, but most don’t really watch them, or pay attention to their songs, because they’re too busy talking, or thinking about their next interaction with someone. Too busy making sure someone is paying attention to them, rather than paying attention to things around them. Birds are amazing creatures…if you slow down long enough to take notice.  Whoever coined the phrase ‘take time to stop and smell the roses’ was probably an introvert. 🙂

Do you enjoy, or dread time alone?

Allergic to small talk

One thing I absolutely despise is ‘small talk’. Unfortunately, it is a necessary part of my job. Being in a service profession, if you don’t try and make ‘pleasant conversation’ with the customer, you’re considered rude. So over the years, I’ve gotten adept at the art of small talk, even though inside I’m dying a little bit each time.

I’m thrown into uncomfortable social situations all day for my job, so that by the time I get home to my spouse/family, I’m in no mood to talk…at least not right away, I usually need some time to wind down from the noise and chaos of the workplace before I feel like talking again.

I realize this might seem silly to most people who don’t have an ‘allergy’ to small talk, but for me, it can suck the energy right out of me, and make me feel like ‘crashing’ for the rest of the night.  So, you might ask, ‘why not get a job where you don’t have to deal with people?’ Sounds simple enough, but like anything, it’s more complicated than that.

Bottom line…I guess I just never really understood the reason to say things just for the sake of conversation, that aren’t necessary, important, or even remotely interesting.

I really don’t want this blog to turn into a ‘rant blog’, but I guess part of explaining how an introvert thinks, is showing the difficult side as well.

Next entry will be more positive…I promise. 🙂

What, if anything makes you uncomfortable in social situations?

Not wrong, just different

I am an introvert…at least that’s the best definition I found for my personality. At a very young age, I realized that I was different from the majority of people. Most kids were loud, outgoing, and enjoyed being in large groups of other kids, playing or competing, or just talking. I was usually quiet, and didn’t like large groups. I was talkative to those close to me, my parents, brother, a few close friends, but when it came to strangers, or people I didn’t care about, I’d clam up pretty quickly.

Frequently, I’d get asked…’what’s wrong with you, why don’t you want to do anything?’…or ‘how come you never want to have fun?’ For years, I thought there WAS something wrong with me, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve decided that I’m not wrong, just different. 

By writing in this blog, I suppose I’m conflicting with the definition of an introvert, but that is my intention. I sometimes like to try and step outside my normal routine, and see how things go. If I don’t like it, this blog might not last long. My reason for writing, is solely for my own satisfaction, if no one ever sees it, I’m not any worse off.

More to come…possibly 🙂

What type of personality are you?