This morning, as two of my friends and I nursed our hangovers with some big English fry-ups, the conversation turned to personality and self-awareness.
We noticed that no matter what annoying personality foibles someone has, they tend to be endearing as long as they’re comfortable with them. Also, everything in someone’s personality has a good side and a bad side. There’s no point in being upset with your own natural “weaknesses”, because they are your strengths, looked at from another point of view.
You might find people exhausting, and small talk inane. An extroverted friend will envy your ability to be content in your own company, to be independent. At the same time, you’re jealous of their ability to chat to whoever they like.
To do anything other than accept your traits and love them for what they are is irrational.
Personality type models can help.
I like both the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and another model I was told about this morning – The Personality Enneagram.
Any work you do to learn more about who you really are is time well spent. Once you accept and even love everything about yourself, the downsides to all your traits will seem to shrink, while the upsides will present themselves everywhere.
“All your shortcomings are there for a reason. They’re there to also allow you to be great.”
James Mathison's Blog 