How can a personality test help?
So what kind of personality do you have?
In my last post, Improve your Mental Health, I wrote about how I had fun with the online 16personalities test a while back. I found it entertaining, but it also helped me feel validated and encouraged as it was so accurate in its assessment. Today I want to elaborate on why it was really helpful and interesting to me when I retook the test 6 months after the first one).
What I learnt last year about my personality type:
As a Mediator:
- We seek harmony
- We are flexible, open-minded and passionate.
- Mediators are dedicated and hard-working.
- Mediators are hopelessly romantic, poetic and kind-hearted.
- Beware of withdrawing into hermit mode. (I definitely have a tendency to do that and stop contacting friends.)
- Gift for languages. (Maybe I need to take up a language again, I certainly loved languages at school.)
- Difficult to get to know. (It takes me ages to bond with people on the whole, apart from a special few who must be soul mates because as soon as I met them I felt like I had known them forever.)
Under the career section for my personality type it said this:
This rings so true for me, as I found professional life very stressful and overwhelming. It goes on to say that writing, if not a novel, then blogging is perfect for my personality type as well as service careers such as working as a holistic therapist.
Yay, I seem to be heading in the right direction..at last!
Here is the interesting bit:
Comparing results:
When I took the first test, I wrote down the results and then pretty much forgot about it. Then I came across the results again whilst looking through my old Bullet journal I thought I would write this post but also take the test again to see if the results were repeatable.
I like to be critical of data and stay grounded in science despite my more mystical side, and so I was curious about whether the results would be the same. However, I am aware that we change energetically from moment to moment and also that our moods might affect how we answer the questions.
In fact, I got very similar results to last time but came out as more introverted (74% – this feels more accurate). The other results were very much similar to before but one variable had changed by 3%. This meant that I now was 55% Judging ( I had been 49% before) and interestingly this made me now a INFJ-T.
That small change had made me a different personality type!
I am now an Advocate!
Now, I hear you cry, that it is all a load of rubbish as I got a different result the second time. The way I see it is that the change from INFP-T to an INFJ-T is a subtle one. Only one variable has changed and only by a few percent, but that has been enough to put me in a different category.
Advocates only make up 1% of the population. It is interesting as the personality type is very similar to the mediator but is more decisive and organised. During the interim time, I had been focused very much on getting more organised and planning with my bullet journal system both for my blog, and my personal life. So it is fascinating to me that this effort on my part had produced a shift in my results.
Neuroplasticity
Scientists tell us about plasticity in the brain. Neuroplasticity is where experiences, behaviour and neural changes can reorganise new circuits in the brain. I find this an exciting prospect. This means we have some control over who we are and how we function and cope with life.
Barbara Arrowsmith is an amazing example of what brain training can achieve. Since her childhood, she suffered from several severe mental disabilities but did not allow that to stop her. She had an inspiring inventor father who told her that if there was no solution yet for a problem, then you had to find it yourself. Barbara invented her own method to rewire her brain and make the healthy parts of her brain perform the functionality that the damaged ones could not do. Her inspiring TED talk is here if you would like to hear more about her journey and neuroplasticity.
All in all, I don’t mind whether I am categorised as a Mediator or Advocate as they both ring true for me. However, as I was gravitating towards being an Advocate for people with Rheumatoid Disease, whilst writing my Rheumatoid Recovery blog, then that is perhaps what I became! Also, advocates are apparently suited to writing, art and music, yep, that’s me again!
At this current time, I have decided to let go of my old blog about Rheumatoid Disease and concentrate more on my healing work and this website, so I may take the test again, as it has been quite a while. I wonder where I am at now!
So, in the context of mental health, I am thinking that this 16personalities test could be very helpful for people with mild mental health issues. (Of course, if you have a more serious mental health condition this is probably not going to be right for you, and it is advisable to see a professional for help.)
For example, if you are experiencing slight anxiety or depression, then perhaps by knowing your personality type you may be able to make adjustments to your lifestyle, work or social life that could be more beneficial to you.
Also, an understanding of your personality weak and strong points may help by giving an insight into how you deal with life and provide you with some tools and pointers to help along the way. Encouraging your nearest and dearest to also take the test could help you to relate and understand one another better.
Sometimes other people’s behaviour can be baffling and seem insensitive, but if we can see that they are actually running on a different operating system, (their personality type), then perhaps we can be more accepting of their behaviour and differences.
“A lot of different flowers make a bouquet.”
Muslim Origin”
i’m so glad that learning more about your “type” has brought you confidence and validation in your path. as a fellow infj, i know how necessary that validation is to us 😉
Thanks for sharing! You and share the same personality traits! I’ve taken Meyers Briggs a couple of times years ago. I think the “feeling – thinking” one tends to change for me.
I used to be an INFJ (ok the test was easily done before 2009) but recently I took the 16Personalities test and was surprised at how much I had changed. I got ISFP-T.. It has me as an Adventurer. I still dont believe it. but between the INFJ and ISFP tests I have been widowed suddenly, been alone, found a way to start a new life, found a partner and oh became a full time step mum as well as giving up paid employment and well you know, COVID and become a full time (for myself) artist. I guess you just never know yourself really….
That sounds pretty adventurous to me Donna! 😉
I had to follow up with your blog today after getting so involved in your yesterday’s. Lol. How interesting. I’ve bookmarked the test page and will have to try your experiment in several months, too. A cool test. Thank you for introducing me to it. <3
So interesting how your results changed so slightly yet put you in a different category. I have just taken the test a few days ago and now I am so curious what my results would have been 5, 10 or 20 years ago. I feel quite sure they would be different. Also fascinated by the concept of neuroplasticity
This personality test looks interesting. I have to go check it out!
I got this: INFP-T
Maybe! It’s definitely me in a relationship.
Fascinating! I’m off to take the test. I forget which one I am, and its likely changed a bit too.