*Embracing our quirks*
Do you ever wonder why some people are just so peculiar (That is, why they act differently than you.) We all see the world through our own personality lenses, so it can be challenging to truly understand and appreciate the benefits that all of the different personality types offer. Why, for example, do you thrive on stability and predictability while your partner happily improvises their way through life How can your best friend always be so trusting and optimistic while you can clearly see the dangers in her being so agreeable Did your boss really just say that, you can't help but wonder.
To help us understand the complexities of human behavior, Hannah Holmes sets out to "examine the human personality through the simplifying lens of science." She helps sift through our collective quirkiness by using the Five-Factor personality system to look at each of the five main personality types and their respective facets:
1. Neuroticism--anxiety and depression
2. Extraversion--impulsiveness/novelty seeking, activeness, cheerfulness, assertiveness
2. Agreeableness--trust, cooperation, sympathy, altruism, morality
3. Conscientiousness--self-discipline, orderliness
4. Openness--intellect, imagination, artistic interests, liberalism, emotionality
And, her humor, wit, and clarity makes an art out of the science of personality.
You'll have to read the whole book to really understand what facets make up your unique personality, but if you want a quick idea, here are the key indicators that Hannah provides for each personality facet:
_Neuroticism_:
Anxiety Indicators:
* I'm easily startled
* I'm a worrier
* I keep my opinions to myself
Depression Indicators:
* I can't get motivated
* Little things get me down
* The glass is half-empty
_Extraversion_ :
Impulsiveness/Novelty Seeking Indicators:
* I speak without thinking
* I buy things then regret it later
* I get bored with routines
Activeness Indicators:
* I'm up for seeing friends
* I have too much to do
* I'm not good at relaxing
Cheerfulness Indicators:
* Life is good
* Everything works out in the end
* I like people
Assertiveness Indicators:
* I ask for what I want
* I tell people if they're bothering me
* I stick to my guns
_Agreeableness_:
Trust Indicators:
* I'm gullible
* I take people at their word
* People mean well
Cooperation Indicators:
* I go along to get along
* Persuasion is better than force
* I like working in a group
Sympathy Indicators:
* I feel other people's pain
* I'm loyal
* I'm a good listener
Altruism Indicators:
* I'm a cheerleader for my friends
* I do favors without being asked
* Poverty makes me sad
Morality Indicators:
* I'm upset by cheating
* I tell the truth even when it's embarrassing
* I do what's right, not what's easy
_Conscientiousness_:
Self-Discipline Indicators:
* I keep a regular schedule
* I exercise and eat right
* I'm a perfectionist
Orderliness Indicators:
* I put things away when I'm done with them
* I'm detail oriented
* Plan your work, and work your plan
_Openness_:
Intellect Indicators:
* I like riddles and puzzles
* I don't mind figuring things out for myself
* I can improve my old ways of doing things
Imagination Indicators:
* I love to daydream
* I invent new things in my mind
* Other people's ideas inspire me
Artistic Interest Indicators:
* I love them smell of the ocean
* I'm creative
* Being in nature restores me
Liberalism Indicators:
* Some problems don't have solutions
* No group of people is better than another
* I question authority
Emotionality Indicators:
* Justice should be tempered with mercy
* People say I'm a good listener
* I prefer fiction to nonfiction books
In addition to helping you understand why you are the way you are, _Quirk_ can help you appreciate the diversity among us. As Hannah so eloquently explains: "Each lifestyle works adequately. Neither works flawlessly. But, because a diversity of personality styles gives the entire species a better chance of surviving nature's challenges, that diversity persists."
And, with this new understanding of what makes you you and everyone else everyone else, the peculiar quirks that make us human may just make a little more sense. Here's to embracing our quirks!
