Profile 4

These results are interesting for the similarity between (a) responses and (b) responses. Interpreting this set of results was a little different. Rather than trying to pick out what I thought to be most relevant from a large array of responses, this person chose which items there was a desired change for. Since it is relatively few, I don't have to do much sorting. We can get right to work.

E. Laughter, fun, curiosity.
1. 9,9
9. 4,7
16. 7,7

Rather than looking at straight scores, I focused on the differences mostly for this profile. Items 1 and 16 had no difference between (a) and (b). But within this set of three, that consistency is significant. This responder feels that they laugh more than most folks (rated as a 9) and are satisfied with how much they laugh (a:9, b:9). Looks like the picture of psychological health so far. But wait a minute. For the item on fun, there is a three-point difference. Is that a comment on oneself or the world? I can't answer that because my test item is not simple enough, but that needs to be addressed.

P. Avoidance, mental persistence, discipline.
7. 4,1
14. 7,4
17. 8,8

Well, it is rare to find people who are satisfied with their discipline. (As with most other profiles, I tend to begin interrogating sets of responses at this level.) This person finds their discipline to be satisfactory/perfect, but lists both other items at this level as differences of 3. On this set of results, there is only one difference of 4, so this is most likely significant (if my levels and items have any validity). For item 14, "Once I make up my mind, that's how it is," there is the desire to be less rigid. Maybe, then, discipline is working in a behavioral or action manner but it is harmful in a social, emotional, or motivational manner. Item 7, "I avoid thinking about anything that makes me uncomfortable," shows that there is more avoidance than desired. Certainly, these two responses (for items 7 and 14) are relevant to discipline. Are they relevant to changes in other areas that make this person uncomfortable? Is there a mental rigidity around desiring change in other areas or in admitting a desire for change in other areas? Probably.

U. Planning, intentional relaxation, complicated problems.
3. 8,8
11. 6,10
21. 6,8

Oh yeah. Here's our four-point difference. Number 11, "During work and at the end of the day, I am able to stay relaxed when I choose." Intentional relaxation is the single biggest desired difference listed in this score-set. While the numbers in this response set are unusual for what I've seen so far, this problem may be quite common. So far we know that this respondent is both more mentally avoidant and mentally rigid than preferred while seeing discipline as just right. Also, while laughing more than others, there is a desire for more fun in life. And the hang-up seems to be somewhere around intentional relaxation. This is different than distraction and all the bells and whistles our society provides, different than drugs and anything you can put into your body. This is about knowing how to relax when one chooses because one chooses. How much better would life be for all of us if we knew how to relax when we chose to? I know I don't have to mentally avoid (#7) anything I can be relaxed about. And I can also be mentally flexible (#14) when I can remain relaxed while paying attention to something.

Prognosis here is good. Diagnosis: lacking intentional relaxation. Here's the caveat, and it's a doozy. What happens to people who have been mentally rigid in a protective way for a long time? What happens when they do relax? Emotions come out. And since we don't need to protect ourselves and those around us from pleasant emotions, that means that unpleasant emotions are going to come out if this person learns intentional relaxation. The good news: you can handle it. The bad news: it probably won't be easy; most people don't avoid things they are already prepared to handle well. With as many responses where this respondent rates their self at where they would desire to be (10 of 21 times), it looks like the mental rigidity, when it begins to break down around self-identity, will unleash a...something. Maybe a drizzle, maybe a flood.

Three things need to happen.
1. Learn intentional relaxation techniques.
2. Expect unexpected sorrow, yearning, anger, blame, sense of betrayal, loss, shame, etc.
3. Recognize that this process may be old-school "cathartic" or it might be a walk in the park.

The comment written in for #14 was, "wish I was more willing to adapt". When people are able, they don't have to wish. In this situation, I would want two questions answered for me, "Why bother?" and then, "How?" My answer for why it is worth doing this is that it leads to greater appreciation and perhaps a greater sense of inspiration. The how part is more complex. Depending on the individual, there needs to be a mix of more or less social sharing, more or less relaxation and equanimity, probably exercise, increased communication skills (and effort concerning communication skills, I'd guess), and an adequate understanding of emotions--probably something more in the line of increased awareness and control of emotions rather than "sensitivity training". It's a type of control more like being on a sailboat than driving a tank. You can't control the wind and the waves, but if you have a sense of what you're doing, you can probably get where you want to go.

A real strength in this profile is #13: 10,10. Depending on the degree of emotional integration and mindfulness, these scores are usually a sign of inspired activity or good focus (with maybe only hints of inspiration or flow). Take this ability to concentrate and enjoyment of being immersed in difficult tasks and apply it to learning intentional relaxation and emotional awareness as the next difficult task. Make it something "to do". But it must be done in a new way. Since you've always felt able to be disciplined and follow through but you've also been able to avoid whatever you find too uncomfortable, you might end up learning a lot about relaxation and take the emotional stuff only for what is pleasant or relatively superficial/easy/comfortable. The real question here is one of how to do the personal introspection in one's own space while also opening up to other people to a greater degree and opening to one's own emotions to a greater degree. Emotions, from an evolutionary perspective, are ways for social animals to communicate and act in accord. When we close off certain emotions, we close off certain connections. When we open to those emotions and address them well, we embrace our potential for deeper, more loving, more interesting types of accord. Eventually, mindfulness helps, but for now--relaxation.