It took me a long time to come up with a term that I think really fits and describes my personality, but since stumbling upon it a few years ago, I’ve used it liberally.
Type-A Hippie.
The hippie part helps explain why I’m so into yoga, meditation, drug-free births and all the other, you know, woo-woo stuff.
But in my heart of hearts, I’m a pretty classic Type-A. I am competitive, aggressive, loud, confident (sometimes overly so), I don’t like to fail, I tend to take charge (even when I’m not asked to) and yes, I can be quite impatient.
(I even have a minor heart issue called SVT, which is triggered by stress — coronary problems are commonly linked to Type As!)
I’d like to thing that there are a lot of positives to being a Type-A that aren’t included in that definition. I’m a hard worker who doesn’t miss deadlines. I’m really good at communication, and I don’t fear public speaking, project management or other tasks that require confidence and a take-charge attitude. I am always on time, I try to speak up for those who can’t and I use all of these characteristics to assist others embrace a more Type-A lifestyle, at least when it comes to blogs!
A while back, The Huffington Post published an article called “11 Things Every ‘Type A’ Person Wants You to Know” and — hello, Type A — I saved it on Facebook so I could review it when I had more time. Last week, Facebook reminded me that I had not yet read it and when I scrolled through, I nodded my head so hard that I was sore for days!
- To-do lists? CHECK.
- Nervous habits? CHECK. (Although I’m now three years into my new no-nail-biting lifestyle — yay!)
- Emotional? YUP.
And the part that connected especially deeply with me was the last paragraph.
Type As put a lot of pressure on themselves to be the best possible version of themselves, which sometimes is taken to mean “the best person in the room.” It doesn’t matter if it’s a work assignment or a board game, they’re all the same to a Type A personality.
I try really hard to not force my Type A tendencies on those around me. Does it bother me when they’re late for meetings? Forget appointments or miss deadlines? Of course, but that just feels like common courtesy to me. I’m painfully aware that I have two little girls who are watching me, and while I want to be a good role model to them, I don’t want to pass on my…quirks. Anxieties. Preferences.
So, while I’ll never abandon my to-do lists or feel OK being even a few minutes late to a commitment, I will keep trying to give my inner hippie room to play.
