This is the third year I've participated in a program called 30 Days of Gratitude, which involves posting on Facebook each day in November about something I am thankful for. It is not only good for me to count my blessings, which can be a challenge on some days, but I gain insight into the personalities of my Facebook friends as I read about the blessings they are counting. I find it intriguing to consider that the things we are thankful for may have something to do with our personality type preferences, which come in pairs such as Introversion and Extraversion. Here are some things people with each personality preference might be thankful for during preparations for a Thanksgiving feast and while enjoying the meal itself and the remainder of the day.
Extraverted types, however, will be energized on Thanksgiving Day by time with family and friends, and social events in general. Perhaps of all the blessings on their minds at Thanksgiving, family and friends will be foremost. Plans for something active after dinner may be appealing, such as a visit to a zoo or movie theater if one nearby happens to be open. Perhaps people who prefer Extraversion are the ones most likely to enjoy early Black Friday Christmas shopping expeditions on Thanksgiving night.
Another pair of preferences, Sensing and Intuition, indicates our favorite ways of taking in information. When it comes to cooking Thanksgiving dinner, those with a preference for Sensing will be very appreciative of clear, detailed, step - by - step recipes. I have a Pumpkin Soup recipe which combines ingredients from a real cookbook with Sensing, Intuitive, Thinking and Feeling directions. The Sensing directions start with getting out the necessary equipment and finding out exactly how much a dash of nutmeg is. They then move to sauteing the mushrooms and onions and how to know when they are done, to adding the rest of the ingredients and how to serve and garnish the final product. The Sensing type's hunger for details should be as satisfied by the precise recipe as her physical hunger will be by the resulting delicious - sounding soup!
Intuitives, who make up only about 30% of the US population, will give special thanks on Thanksgiving Day for those few people who really understand and appreciate how visionary they are. They count among their blessings people who listen to their big - picture ideas and suggestions without feeling defensive due to misinterpreting those ideas as criticisms. For example, making suggestions about how the family Thanksgiving celebration can be even better this year does not mean the Intuitive is trying to be critical or make more work without offering to help. Those with a preference for Intuition have a genuine vision for how much better things can be, and hate keeping those ideas bottled up inside for fear of being misunderstood. Their day is made by those who understand that some people have the gift to generate ideas and that it may well be others who have the gift to implement them.
Third, Feeling and Thinking refer to our preferred ways of making decisions. Among the blessings Feeling types can count this Thanksgiving are supervisors, parents and others who begin a review of their work by first pointing out what they are doing well before discussing what needs improvement. They need to be assured that their efforts and contributions, for example in helping put together a Thanksgiving feast, are appreciated before needed improvements are brought up. Otherwise they can feel they are just being criticized.
In contrast, those who prefer Thinking feel lucky to have people in their lives who begin such a review by pointing out what they need to improve rather than what they do well. They are eager to know what if anything in their work is wrong or does not meet expectations so they can fix it. If they are helping with Thanksgiving dinner, for example, they are eager to hear what they need to do differently so everything can be perfect and all can enjoy it to the fullest.
Finally, Perceiving refers to one way we can orient ourselves to the outside world. Perceiving types will feel grateful on Thanksgiving Day for parents, teachers, supervisors, friends, etc., who understand that they are not procrastinating when they seemingly leave things undone until almost the last minute. Those with a preference for Perceiving are energized by and produce their best work as deadlines rapidly approach. This can include cooking for the holiday repast as the day arrives or right before, instead of preparing some items in advance as Judging types often do.
Those who prefer the opposite orientation to the outer world, Judging, may indeed be thankful for the opportunity to cook or prepare some components of the holiday meal in advance, because they hate leaving things until the last minute and then having to rush. They enjoy and get a sense of satisfaction from checking things off their to - do lists, which no doubt will get longer and longer throughout the holiday season, as many important tasks are added to them such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, and inviting the guests.
Happy Thanksgiving! As the holiday approaches and preparations begin, people with each of the eight personality type preferences should be able to find something to be thankful for. What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?