#reverb15 // Day 9 // What's your type?

Kimberly Schoenauer
Dec 9, 2015
3 min read

I'm joining pals Sarah and Elizabeth to write every day in the month of December, feel free to join in any time! Today's prompt: What’s your type? Tell us your personality type and/or enneagram type. Does your type resonate with you? What happened this year that clearly (or not clearly) illustrate your personality type?

First and foremost, regardless of any test, type, quiz, or assessment- I know that I am 100% an introvert. And yesterday, I survived my first holiday work event of 2015. GAG. I eased in with a simple holiday cheer happy hour, forced my entire staff to wing-man me, spoke mostly to just them but made the obligatory round of small talk to everyone else there, and got the hell out ASAP. More advil please!!!!!

I took the Enneagram type test in research of this question- out of all of the personality tests available, which I have taken many, I have never even heard of this one. I didn't like the test because the questions made you choose from one of two responses, both of which I identified with on some level, and it was difficult deciding on the spot which one I identified with more than the other. In many cases, I felt I could have answered either way. In this particular moment, I scored a 6 (the strongest of the 9 categories) in Type 1 The Reformer which is described as: The Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic.

Some of that I agree with, some I don't. It's not that I don't fit into that category, I do... I just fit clearly into several others as well, so I don't feel like this encapsulates me as a person. I am a perfectionist about some things, like work things. I can't very well have a decimal in the wrong spot. But, with everything else, I'm all over the good enough. Principled? Weeeellll... I like to stray the line on that a lot too. When it suits me. It does irritate me when other people do that though. Just me. Only I'm allowed. LOL.

There are other complicated personality tests out there that I've taken that do a better job at describing me, such as the classic Myers-Briggs. I can easily identify during each question where I fall without waffling. I've taken it many times - In high school, again in graduate school, and more recently within the past few years and always gotten the same result. I'm an ISTJ. Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging. Every one of these elements is true. I'm introverted, meaning I get my energy from being alone and taking down time. I'm sensing, meaning I am specific and literal. I'm thinking, which means I base my decisions on concrete facts and not on feelings. And I'm judging, which means I'm a planner and like to have things settled.

It's not so much that the I, S, T, and J are all me. It's more that I agree the E, N, F, and P are definitely NOT me. I laugh when I read descriptions of people who share my personality type because the similarities are uncanny- not just the good stuff but the bad stuff too!

The most simple of all personality tests that I've taken is the DISC method. I've taken this test at work, and it was administered by Les Mills at my AIM2 training. I scored almost the same, but there were some differences since I was taking the tests from different spaces in my life. From the gym space, I am a D/I. Dominant primarily and Interactive secondarily. I teach from a Dominant place, but also want my class to have fun and be inclusive. I am introverted, but my classes would never know that from the way I teach. From the professional space, I am a D/C. Dominant primary and Cautious Thinker secondarily. So, my base personality type is the same, but my focus is different. I am uninterested in being social and inclusive at work. I am concerned with accuracy, timeliness, and efficiency. We calculate important things, after all, and we can't afford to be wrong!

All testing aside, without any introspection whatsoever, I identify very strongly with my astrology sign. Sagittarius forever!! I am independent and crave adventure, I prioritize freedom, am not moody but at times detached, I welcome change, am optimistic, curious, and don't dwell on the past.