Psychology 101 (a self-evaluation)
At a recent WSF meeting, we were encouraged us to examine ourselves by answering some open-ended sentences. At first I was very skeptical, but ultimately found the exercise to be interesting and perhaps even a little insightful.
You've probably seen the various "question list" emails where you answer a variety of questions about yourself and email it off to your friends, asking them to do the same. Usually those questions involve favorite colors/books/movies/foods, musical preference, what's in your closet/car-trunk/etc. The questions tend to be very superficial and barely even glimpse at who the person truly is. This list of questions has the potential of going a lot deeper, as it probes your feelings and emotions.
I challenge you to:
- Take some time and write down your honest answers to each of these phrases.
- Then if you want, check out my answers to get a little insight into what makes me tick. I've been accused of being very anti-social, not sharing much about myself with those around me. It's not easy, but I decided I'd post my responses and give you a chance to find out a little more about me.
- Be bold enough to post your own answers and share them with others.
No cheating! Don't discuss the questions/phrases with others before answering them, and don't look at others' answers first (including mine!).
I trust...
I fear...
I hope...
I get turned off by...
I wish...
I believe...
I am hurt by...
I am best at...
I am angry when...
I depend on...
I love...
I like...
I dislike...
I hate...
I respect...
I think...
I am disappointed by...
I dream about...
Here are my responses:
I trust... that things will eventually work out.
I fear... the unknown.
I hope... I don't have to tell these things to the group.
I get turned off by... places crowded with strangers.
I wish... God would tell me everything I want to know about the universe.
I believe... there is a lot remaining to learn.
I am hurt by... people talking about me behind my back.
I am best at... taking group discussions on tangents.
I am angry when... I don't do what needs to be done.
I depend on... myself.
I love... successfully completing tasks that other evaluate or depend on my contribution.
I like... ice cream.
I dislike... the over-use of the word 'hate'.
I hate... nothing?
I respect... others' opinions.
I think... this list is far too long.
I am disappointed by... others who don't keep commitments.
I dream about... ideal realities that are probably impractical if not impossible.
The group discussed some of the responses. For example, which was the easiest question for you to answer? The most difficult?
One person shared that she thought the most difficult item was the "I am best at..." question. The difficulty was a concern about pride in saying that you're the best at doing anything. Can we say we're the best at something without being prideful?
Another concern had to do with the "I hate..." question. I brought up the idea that most people don't fathom the meaning of the word hate, made evident in my response to the "I dislike..." question. Tyson (administering the 'test') shared that in previous iterations of the test, many people state that the "I hate..." question is the easiest to answer. What does that say about those people specifically? Can that be extended to society as a whole?
Comments
Hi Aaron!
Thanks for sharing your list with the group. Very courageous of you! I left my list of answers at home, but most of my answers had to do with Eric, God, Midas, Mark, ice cream and chocolate. My "I hate" was liver! Yuck!
Posted by: Babs | September 1, 2004 02:48 AM
I trust... God has a plan and will see it through
I fear... to not do God's will, despite wanting to sooooo badly
I hope... my father will come to Christ and call me
I get turned off by... cursing, sick jokes, and people who talk the talk but don't walk the walk
I wish... I could discern God's will in this struggle, more than anything
I believe... that this is the start of something great
I am hurt by... my father's disapproval
I am best at... being crazy and funny for God
I am angry when... I can't put my struggles on Jesus
I depend on... the approval of the people around me
I love... to worship God with loud music, and my mom
I like... being at Wesley and the people there
I dislike... the tension and distance that I've felt from God and a person these past few days
I hate... that I can't talk to my own dad
I respect... people who are vocal for God and are never ashamed of their faith in the least
I think... that God will save my dad
I am disappointed by... my lack of faith during struggles
I dream about... having a wife who serves at my church with me
i didn't cheat
Posted by: Joshua | September 1, 2004 04:50 AM
This is as close to my list as I can remember
I trust... that God has a plan and will tell me what to do in life.
I fear... rejection.
I hope... that i can do my best in life.
I get turned off by... People who lie about me behind my back.
I wish... I could make everyone happy.
I believe... in love.
I am hurt by... pointy objects.
I am best at... "I don't really have an answer for this one."
I am angry when... people don't listen to me.
I depend on... God,truth,love and my parents.
I love... you guys.
I like... the feeling of being part of somthing.
I dislike... filling out surveys.
I hate... racisim.
I respect... the pure.
I think... but it hurts.
I am disappointed by... my brother.
I dream about... the one, who she is, when Ill meet her, and how.
Posted by: Morgan | September 1, 2004 11:20 AM
I trust...God
I fear...big crows of people, uncertain situations, and failure.
I hope...I don't let anyone down.
I love...my friends and family.
I like...times when I can be alone with God.
I dislike...being rejected.
I hate...mowing the lawn and McDonalds equally.
I respect...my parents.
I get turned off by...people I feel are being fake.
I wish...a bunch of things about me were different.
I believe...God loves me!
I am hurt by...people who leave me out or forget their promises to me.
I am best at...loving.
I get angry when...I misplace things.
I depend on...other people.
I think...rarely enough.
I am disapointed by...myself.
I dream about...getting married
Posted by: Rebecca | September 2, 2004 08:41 AM