 
Each of us knows that we have a personality. Some things we like about it and some we might not be so fond of. I would like you to ask yourself, "How well do I really know my personality?" As you consider that, take some time to jot down words that describe your personality. Don't just use words like "kind" or "generous"; instead, see if you can put into words how your personality sees you, what it's trying to accomplish for you, and how it wants others to see you. Go ahead- take some time to do that- then read on. That wasn't easy, was it? As you try to see "you," you are actually looking through the lens of your personality. So you are looking out through the lens of your personality at your personality! How crazy is that? There are two things about that:
I think that's the ultimate definition of rose-colored glasses
No wonder it's hard to see your personality!
The personality looking at the personality will see intentions without examining motivations. Let me give you an example. I once dropped everything in my life to organize a fundraiser for a dear friend who was diagnosed with very aggressive cancer. In a few days, I pulled our community together, and we raised over $30,000 through a spaghetti feed, raffle tickets, a silent auction, and community and civic organization donations. Pretty cool. My personality wanted me and everyone to see what a great person I was- caring, compassionate, a mover, and a shaker. That's great, right? Well- then there's the motive part…. What was my motivation? Caring and compassion for a dying friend and his family? Absolutely. But what else might there be? Recognition? Validation that I'm a good person, worthy? Maybe…. When we allow our personality to control us, it will always twist things in our favor. It will look at the intention but definitely not the motive. Your choices are often good- but that is probably not the whole truth. Let's spend some time together exploring personality. It's power. It's purpose. It's limitations. Register for one of our free "Exploring the Enneagram" Zoom classes on Tuesday, January 31, 2023