Unveiling your temperament
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who have a problem with it are not important, and those who are important have no problem with it."
- Fritz Perls
The four stages of human life - childhood, youth, adolescence, and old age - are connected to the four elements. Freethinkers believe these elements symbolize the phases of spiritual growth: a person is born from the earth and gradually purifies themselves by moving through water, air, and fire. The elements are also linked to temperaments or "humors": air to sanguine, fire to choleric, water to phlegmatic, and earth to melancholic.
As an extroverted and social individual, I appreciate engaging conversations and time spent with others, often avoiding solitude. Writing this blog may be another form of interaction for me, enabling me to convey my thoughts to a broad audience and exchange ideas. I am spontaneous, energetic, and enjoy making others feel at ease around me.
I find psychological tests intriguing because I believe that understanding ourselves better can lead to improved well-being. These assessments can offer valuable insights about our personalities. Today, I took a test on the four temperament types, which identified me as a sanguine.
For English speakers, I suggest taking the test at http://openpsychometrics.org/tests/O4TS/. This test stands out because it uses a scale of 1 to 5 for each response, instead of the usual two choices found in other tests. Keep in mind that with only 24 questions, this test is not a definitive measure of our temperament. But now, let's explore brief descriptions of the various temperaments.
Melancholic is among the most expressive temperaments due to the ability to experience a diverse range of emotions. A melancholic person is a perfectionist, sensitive, and appreciates fine art. Although not open to others and rarely imposing, they can express genuine love by being a devoted and trustworthy partner. In the past, melancholy and depression were sometimes used interchangeably. As an introvert, a melancholic may struggle to convey emotions.
In contrast, a sanguine person possesses "the most structured and stable inner life." They are the life of the party, attracting others with their optimism, spontaneity, and exuberance. Sanguine individuals are charismatic, enthusiastic, and easily approachable. However, their propensity for exaggeration and excessive emotionality renders them unsuitable for monotonous or solitary work. They rarely become depressed when surrounded by people, but may experience bouts of depression in isolation.
Choleric is another extroverted temperament but is marked by ongoing dissatisfaction and aggression, unlike sanguine. They feel emotions intensely and exhibit high energy and activity levels. Cholerics are action-oriented, enjoy leading and working with people, but don't exude happiness. Their emotions can reach extremes, potentially leading to angry outbursts.
On the opposite end is the phlegmatic, known for a balanced yet resilient nervous system. They are at peace with the world, displaying exceptional self-control and emotional detachment, allowing for objective judgment. Although they may be slow, phlegmatic individuals complete tasks reliably and methodically, remaining composed in challenging situations. They excel in work that demands precision and thoroughness. However, they may exhibit indecisiveness and a pessimistic attitude.
Exploring one's temperament can be an enlightening experience and provide a better understanding of oneself and others. I encourage you to take the test mentioned earlier and discuss your results with those close to you. This conversation can reveal how differing temperaments influence our daily lives, relationships, and approaches to work or leisure activities.
References:
Feng shui partnerships, Iwona Kubis
Startup in Polish. How to start and develop a profitable ebusiness, Kamila Mikołajczyk, Dariusz Nawojczyk
How to deal with depression, Tim F. LaHaye
Woman and the Holy Spirit, Beverly LaHaye
How and where to look for a job effectively, Magdalena Polczyk
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