Are You a Wolf, Collie Or Show Dog?
Take a moment and think about shopping around the holidays … what thoughts and emotions come up for you? Do you think back to you and your girl friends getting together and having a great time as you browsed the specialty stores … or are you the the gal who always looks for the holiday sweaters and matching jewelry so you look like an escaped elf. ..Or does just the thought of being around all those swirling masses of people make you happy that you do all your shopping on line?
Why these different responses? Well, all those people together in one place can be seen as a mass of energy swirling and whirling about. We've experienced this before, whether it is a beautiful sunset that relaxes us and brings harmonious sensations or the nagging co-worker who seems to suck the life right out of anyone and any situation, we take in energy from the people, places, and things that surround us. This energy can either lift us up or hold us back if we do not understand how we internalize it, or use it.
We have found in our practice that people will fall into one of 3 categories of how they relate to the energy in their environments. For clarification, we have classified them three ways, technical / animal totem / and human trait. This is what we have discovered:
1.) Low / Wolf / Therapist. This is the person who functions best when given a task and then left alone to complete it. She has 1-3 friendships that go very deep, in fact she knows just about everything there is to know about each person. She thrives on one-to-one interaction and her friends will seek her out for her wisdom and knowledge when they have a challenge. The thought of large crowds can be too much for her (too much energy coming in all at once) and she will avoid them if she can. The shadow side of this aspect is that she can pull too far in and become hermit like or reclusive in her ways.
2.) Medium / Border Collie / cruise director. Here we have the person who thrives in groups. Her friendships will not go as deep as the low connector, yet will still be close with a few more in number. She is the person that if you need something organized, she's your gal. The shadow side of this aspect is that when her life gets out of control (usually because she has taken on too much) she gets really good at managing others but not managing herself. Before people will take her advice, they will look to see if she actually walks her own talk.
3.) High / Show Dog / Hollywood Star. The bigger the spotlight, the better she likes it. She really does not have any "deep" or "close" friends, instead choosing to live by the motto, "the one with the biggest rolodex wins!" This is the women to turn to when you need a headliner for your event, whether it's an off Broadway show or just a holiday party, she will have things hopping. Her shadow will show if she is not getting enough attention, causing her to act out in negative ways to gain the spotlight again, even if it is the paparazzi commenting on her DUI arrest.
Think of it like this, it is time for the High School Reunion. The cruise director organizes it, the Hollywood star shows up with her entourage and the therapist totally ignores it all and stays home.
You will use one level to process most of the energy coming at you in life, yet you may find yourself moving up or down temporarily, depending on circumstances. If you stay at the other level for too long though, you will fry yourself out.
So, think about what level seems to call for you and let us look at how you can use this newfound knowledge for your benefit. We will use the example of staying physically fit and eating healthy, since of majority of our clients have challenges in this area.
If you are a low processor, you do best with the home workout. Whether it is DVD's, home equipment, even a home gym, you feel more comfortable here. Signing up for an occasional class also helps. You will work best if you have a partner or coach, someone to hold you accountable and get you up and moving when you would rather veg-out on the couch.
Did you find that the medium level seemed to be a better fit for you? Then you are the type of women who needs to be in class with others. Joining a gym can work for you if you have a class that you can join while there. You are also the type who loves to try out new recipes and then inform others how they should be doing it. Just watch for the times when you become stressed, making sure that you take care of yourself instead of trying to fix the world.
High energy and ready to go, you might not have even finished this article in one sitting because there were just too many people to see, things to do, places to go. Your health and well being is best served if you can lead the exercise class. If that is not possible, then dress up in that matching sweat and tennis shoe outfit, pick the treadmill up front and center where everyone can see, and go for it. Just make sure that you are garnering attention for the right reason, because you are showing others how to live healthy and fit.
Plan of Action
- What type of processor, connector are you?
- What area of your life can be improved with this information?
- What action can you take in the next 24 hours to better match your internal processing with your external circumstances?
Dawn Ferguson
Certified Hypnotist & Certified Instructor
