Thursday, December 10, 2009

What animal am I and why?




I've been doing a project for the last month or so where I interview the people in my life about myself. This includes friends, family, ex boyfriends, even acquaintances. The goal is to get how I occur to them in their world. I may think that I come across a certain way, and they may think something completely different. But you don't really know until you ask. It is not about anyone being wrong or right, but simply gaining perspective on the self.


Interview questions:
1) What are my strengths?
2) What are my weaknesses?
3) What can you always count on me for?
4) What can you never count on me for?
5) Is there something about me that you wanted to tell me but never have? What is it? Why did you not want to tell me?
6) What color am I? Why?
7) What animal am I? Why?


First of all, I don't recommend doing this unless you are really open to hearing the bad news. I am doing a program called Landmark Education and over the course of the year I have acquired many tools that help me not hate my best friend when they tell me I can be naive and absent-minded.


I loved hearing what animal people thought of me as.


-Person interviewed: sister 1
-Animal / why: Peacock because I'm a show off!
    *This was especially interesting to me. I may think that I am outgoing and entertaining (I am this way because when I make others laugh, it makes me happy), but to others I may come across as an attention seeker and a show-off.  This doesn't mean that they are right or wrong, its just getting their perspective of you. Chances are if my sister thinks this of me, there may very well be others that think the same.


-Person interviewed: sister 2
-Animal / why: Magical creature because I'm crazy (I agree- but good crazy)


-Person interviewed: ex-boyfriend 1
-Animal / why: Zebra because I am so black/white, hot/cold, up/down


-Person interviewed: ex-boyfriend 2
-Animal / why: Bear because I am cuddly, loving and caring


-Person interviewed: friend
-Animal / why: Tropical tree top monkey because I am outgoing, enthusiastic, I'm a great listener and I am always there to help my friends when they need me by providing them a different perspective (from the Amazon tree tops!)


-Person interviewed: Daddy dearest
-Animal / why: St. Bernard dog because I am loyal and gentle (awwwwwwwww)


Weaknesses. OMG. Now see, I prepped myself so mentally well for the weaknesses I was like: "Ok, I'm ready! I got my bulletproof vest on. Lay it on me!". The funny thing was that there would never be more than one weakness that they could list. And they weren't even that bad.


Weakness:
-Person interviewed: sister 1
-My weakness: non-observant because I can never find things even if it's right in front of me


-Person interviewed: sister 2
-My weakness: nothing because she can't think of any


-Person interviewed: dad
-My weakness: disorganized but only referring to my messy room


-Person interviewed: best friend
-My weakness: can't say no because I'm too nice


-Person interviewed: ex-boyfriend 2
-My weakness: lack of focus because I have too many goals & dreams in life!! (yay)
-My weakness: naive because I am too innocent and trusting


And then it really occurred to me. I am my own worst critic! And I know a lot of you (if not most) out there are just the same. I was like: "That's it????".  I labelled myself as: critical, too blunt, too direct, perfectionist (which can be bad), too outgoing, workaholic, over-achieving academic, poor listener... the list went on and I was waiting for others to confirm this list- but they didn't. In that moment I let go of my list. I gained freedom of judgement of myself. I gained a new self.


How do you think you occur to others in your life? I bet it's not what you think!

2 comments:

  1. Somebody told me that I was a crossover between a bird of paradise and an unicorn the other day haha Wouldn't have guessed that myself.

    This really is a nice little research to do, interesting to see how their view compares to your own. Might have to copy your idea...but then again...not sure if I'm strong enough to find out what they really think haha

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  2. So far, I have been told that I am definitely (1) pink and orange, (2) for sure magenta, (3) bright green, and (4) a bright feathered, free-range, organic chicken that lays multicolored eggs and wanders around and pecks at things and is pretty non-chalante but then pokes your eye out if you piss it off! Love it!

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