34. Energy in crises- Personality 1

Isaiah 40:29: "He gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might, He increases power."

Have you ever felt that your 'spirit' has been exhausted and overtaxed? Perhaps you are feeling drained right now? This probably just means that you need to recharge. We do this in different ways, depending on our personality type. Because we are living with various personality types in our homes, I will discuss the different personality types and how each type is recharged. It is good to know and to understand each other so that we can navigate these differences in a crisis.

The classification of personality types comes from the Myers-Briggs Indicator (MBT). There are four different types of personalities (or let me call it choices to make) in terms of who people are and how they live life.

The first type is how people get energised. Most people are energised through either spending time alone or spending time with people. This is referred to as an introvert verses an extrovert. Energy is gained in different ways, being an introvert or an extrovert.

The second one is how people receive information. We receive information in different ways. Some people like to stick with the facts while others like to go with their gut. This is referred to as a sensing person verses a person who uses his/her intuition.

The third is how they make choices. Some people sit and think things through, they look at all the facts. Then there are others who go on their feelings – they make choices based on how they feel. This is the thinking group versus the feeling group.

The fourth choice is how people live their lives. Do they live their lives through careful planning and executing their plans or are they more of a happy go lucky, go with the flow type of person? We call these two categories the judging type and the perceiving type.

You have probably already identified with one or more of these. We will explore each of these types in the next four presentations. For this presentation I am going to focus on the aspect of gaining energy. How does your personality type gain energy? Are you getting your energy through extroversion or through introversion actions?

Your personality type is formed through preference. You can also combine the four that I've mentioned and that then forms your specific personality type. You may be an extrovert who goes with your gut and you make choices based on your feelings and you like planning. Or you may be an introvert who likes to use the facts but you go with your thinking and you use judging, or planning to live your life. That's a different personality type.

The four basic types of personalities (i.e. gaining energy, receiving information, making choices and planning your life), have 16 different combinations. In other words, 16 different personality types that you can combine in order to be you. Your personality type is formed through your preferences.

We need to understand that we are not so moulded in cement that we cannot change. We can change. As a matter of fact, circumstances sometimes change us. Other times we want to change. The personality type you are functioning in right now, is your preference. It is your choice. It is the place where you feel most comfortable.

Let me demonstrate what a preference is. Where you are sitting right now, please cross your arms. You've crossed your arms in a very specific way. Now try to cross your arms in any other way. Does it feel a bit strange? You can do it but it is not so easy. There is no right or wrong way of folding your arms, but you prefer to fold your arms the way that is more comfortable or easier or natural for you. This is a preference. It doesn't feel so natural when you do it the other way, but you can do it the other way.

The different personality types are established because you have a preference to something which feels comfortable and you are naturally inclined to do it that way. But it is not impossible to learn to do it the other way, you can learn it.