“Our repeated failure to act as we would wish must not discourage us. It is the sincere intention that is the essential thing, and this will in time release us from the bondage of habits which at present seem almost insurmountable”.
-Thomas Troward
“We can judge our progress by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers, our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good”.
-Carl Sagan
Every day I receive an email on my phone that gives me a daily thought based on my personality type. One of my favorite is “Try today to do the opposite of what you would normally do”. Personality types can be difficult to pin down because human being are complex. It is also challenging to type yourself because most of us find it difficult to own our dark side. As I have said many times, “We see ourselves one way, other people see us a different way, and then there is how we really are”. This is why I sometimes say that I am highly overrated. Some people think I walk on water. I have learned over time that I am not even a good swimmer. In spite of my downside, I try to be a good person. In spite of my desire and efforts to be a good person, I still say and do dumb things. Those closest to me, including my granddaughter, make jokes about it. Chloe even does a great imitation of me. I know it’s all in fun but like most people I don’t always like having my weaknesses pointed out to me. True personal growth, however, demands that we own our weaknesses and even if they never become our strengths, at least we can learn to control them a bit. You know you are growing psychologically when you can step outside yourself and see yourself as you really are. I know when I am being a jerk. I also recognize when I am at my best. I still want to be a good person but I also want to be a true person in the sense that I have become the best version of myself.
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