Split Personality

When I was young, I would have loved one of those American Girl Quiz Books that my daughter has on her bookshelf. There’s a quiz for everything – your style, what kind of friend you are, even one to find your “pooch personality.” Apparently, I’m a border collie, which I’m not so sure I agree with, although I do often feel as though I’m herding people.

My oldest daughter recently took a personality test as part of her college/career planning process.  I won’t share her results, as they are not mine to share, but I will say that on three of the four areas of personality, she leaned very strongly in one direction over the other.

I, on the other hand, was split pretty evenly down the middle (leaning ever so slightly towards introverted) in three of the four areas (I was strongly a J). I’m not sure if this means I am well-rounded or that I have no personality at all. Let’s go with well-rounded.

I hear other mothers and bloggers talking about their “Type A personalities.” I’ve read some articles and, of course, taken some A versus B personality quizzes and find myself, yet again, with ambiguous results.

I do not get stressed easily, but get highly irritable when running late.

I do not anger easily, but find it somewhat freeing to hurl loud curse words at other drivers while in the solitary confines of my car.

I am fairly competitive in certain areas, but lack ambition in others.

I love to organize and purge spaces, but also have a tendency to procrastinate.

I walk fast, talk fast, eat fast.

Multitasking? No, except in the kitchen.

I remember, during one of my undergrad classes, going through a series of tests to assess the dominance of my brain hemispheres – right or left – in purely a physical sense. They had us answer questions and perform small tasks to determine which hand, foot, or eye we were likely to use. My left eye was completely dominant. My right foot was completely dominant. And my hands were split completely down the middle.

My point? I don’t have one. I lost it somewhere. I’m pretty sure it’s hanging out with my personality type smack dab in the middle of my cerebral cortex.

But this is what I do know.

I know what I love.

I know what I find distasteful.

And I know that I am still changing and evolving, growing in my understanding of myself and my world with every person I meet, every book or post I read, every place I go.

So, whatever personality type I am, A or B, INTJ or ESFP, or WXYZ (I made that one up), border collie or labrador retriever or mutt, I’m good with it.

As long as I’m not a poodle. I really don’t want to be a poodle.

Are you a quiz taker? Do lean strongly towards one personality type or are you a mixed breed like me?