Monday, August 2, 2010

I'm a Circle!

A couple years ago, my friends Holly, Amy and I saw Vicki Sanderson speak at one of our teacher trainings. Vicki asked us to think in our mind of four different shapes:

a circle

a square

a triangle

or a squiggly line


She told us to draw on our papers which one just felt right to us.

Holly and I both drew circles and we have since said to each other many times, "But you know me, I'm a circle!" Everyone else might look at us like we have lost our minds, but we know what being a circle means.
(If you want to see what your shape means go to: http://www.psychometricshapes.co.uk/circle.php and click on the left side tabs)

Circles love people and are very social. They get along well with others. They like to wear comfortable clothes and would be the ones to bring a cushion to sit on at their desk at work. Vicki said that circles would be on time to the faculty meeting, not because they like to be on time, but because there might be food involved!

Circles have a hard time saying no. My friend Amy is a squiggly line. She floors me how easily she just says no. Someone asked her to participate in something a while back and she just looked her in the eye and said, "No, and you don't need to ask me in the future, because I am never going to do that." WOW!!!! How did she have the guts to say that?! But she didn't even think twice. I wished I could have that courage.

Circles tend to care about what others think about them. They hate conflict and will usually back down in an argument. This means that if the boss wants someone to volunteer for a task and there are no volunteers, a circle is the one who is asked to do it.

This would explain why last year I was in charge of the Flower Fund at school and why this year I am assisting with Student Council and agreed to take over Student Council duties the next year.

But being a circle, one of the things that I have trouble with is not being able to stand up for myself, my opinions and my beliefs. Circles don't like to say "No, I disagree with that," or start any sort of conflict. And if someone knows that you will not stand up to them, they can use it against you.

Recently, I was upset when another person was doing just that. I prayed to God to take the person's tacky comments away, but I still was just letting them eat at me. Then I noticed that Seth doesn't seem to let anything get to him. When I asked him how he did it, he explained that my problem was that I was a "Yes" person. Huh?

A "Yes" person (and a Circle person) tends to just agree with whoever is talking. When someone says something, we nod along even if we don't really agree. He said that it's alright to just say "Okay." Saying "Okay" means, "I hear you, I do not fully agree with you, but I am not starting a fight with you either. I am just acknowledging your opinion."

I was pleased with his advice and thought it was funny that God had led me to talk to Seth. Who knew he could be so wise? ;)

So, now I am working on being an "Okay" person. I am going to work at standing up for myself and I might even learn to say "No, but thanks for asking me!" (Being a circle, I just have to put that thank you part in there!)

On a completely different note, please say prayers for my husband and all of the coaches and football players that started two-a-days this week. It is supposed to be above 100 degrees everyday this week! I pray that everyone stays healthy and hydrated! Go Bears!

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