Lighten Up, SJs!

As an SJ, we find ourselves oriented to the past and stingy with our trust, always carefully examining change, and slow to leap into the unfamiliar.  This often tends to reduce the joy in our lives.  

Since joy is such a needed “nutrient” to our health, it is my goal in this segment to introduce some things for all of us to consider (me, in particular) that I hope will increase the joy in our lives.

It’s April Fools' Day!  Some of my early thoughts in my waking moments were of possible April Fools pranks that I could play on Ray today.  As an SJ, I am less likely to “play” -- always being the serious, responsible, working “ox” in the pair.  (He works too -- VERY hard -- but he has a more "playful" way of going about it than I do.)  I really need to “work” at playing.  That’s a bad place to be in.  Though I long to have “silly times,” I tend to override them with responsibility.  

If you have SJ friends or are an SJ yourself, encourage the “sillies” in life.  We need to lighten up!  While all our responsibility and work ethic is a strength of this temperament, remember that “overuse” produces weakness.   ALL temperaments need joy!  What can you do today to bring JOY into your day?

Here is something that encourages JOY for me.  I hope it will bring some into your day as well.  Just try to watch without smiling!  I dare you!

Now, I’m going to go play a joke on Ray!

Is Your Spring Full of Weeds or Wishes?

Last week I saw the first dandelions near our Colorado home.  (Winter hangs around a little longer here than it does in my native Texas.)

What do you see when you look at this picture?

Is it a invasion to a beautiful lawn (read "weeds")?

Or is it an opportunity to grab one of those puff balls, blow on it and make a wish like you did when you were a kid?

It's a lot like looking at half a glass of water and asking whether it is half full or half empty.   Our answer says a lot about our mindset.

SJs tend to scrutinize things and attempt to "fix" things and make things orderly.  More often than not, we SJs would look at this picture and say, "Weeds!  Get the week killer.  They're invading the lawn and making our yard look uncared for."

An SP or NF, on the other hand, would be more likely to grab one and with glee blow the seeds everywhere, upsetting the caretaker SJ.  NTs might study the flower and the seed head carefully to determine the details of its reproductive cycle -- with no emotion evident.

I can be a little less distressed these days when I see dandelions since we don't have to do lawn care.  (Townhome living has its perks!)  So when I see these bright yellow "flowers," I smile at their sunny color that reminds me that summer IS coming -- soon.  And when I can blow a seed head with my granddaughters and make a wish, my "age" reduces significantly.

One of the things I try to do these days, however, is to remember to focus on the glass half full and choosing the joy of childhood wishes!  That mindset will give my days much more pleasure and that, in itself, is a wish come true.