Have you ever wondered why you act the way you do? The way you behave is called your temperament and there are multiple types. It can affect many aspects of your life and is a big part of who you are. Keep reading to find out more about temperament and to determine which type you lean towards.
What is Temperament?
Your temperament involves how you behave and react in certain situations. Temperament is the same your entire life and it can dictate how you interact with various aspects of your existence, including work and love. There are 4 general types that most people fall into.
Temperament Types to Know
There are 4 general types of temperament, although some people believe there are 5. To dive more deeply into each type as well as how they manifest in everyday life, check out BetterHelp for specific articles on this topic. Here’s a brief look at the 4 types:
Sanguine
This type of temperament includes people that are happy go lucky and like to interact with others. They are considered to be extroverts. Overall, they don’t like to take life too seriously.
Phlegmatic
If you are phlegmatic, you are probably paying attention to what is going on around you and can work well with other people. You may also get projects accomplished on time and won’t say a lot.
Choleric
With this temperament, you may be a bit bossy. You probably like to be in charge and are anxious to get things done. This may lead to you getting frustrated with others or when you fail at something.
Melancholic
Someone with a melancholic temperament will be an introvert. They likely won’t mind doing jobs that other people become bored with. Besides that, you may be sensitive to criticism.
Which One am I?
Each temperament type has both pros and cons. This is something that you are unlikely to be able to change completely, but there are things you can do to help yourself be more productive and able to get along with others if these are issues for your temperament type.
You should also keep in mind that a person likely doesn’t fit one of these temperaments entirely. Instead, you may feel like you have traits from more than one. Think about how you interact with others and your work style, and you might be able to determine which type you belong in. If you are curious to find out exactly which temperament you have, there are tests online you can take in an attempt to find out.
Something else you may want to do is conduct research on the temperament that you are. This may help you understand yourself better and learn how to approach others in a meaningful way. Of course, you don’t have to know your temperament type to be able to address any behaviors that you don’t like about yourself. You can begin to make changes whenever you are ready. This should begin by taking the time to pay attention to how you treat others, how much work you get done, and if you are being mindful to the things going on throughout the day. Once you start to work on these aspects of your life, you may see a difference in the way you feel and act.
Consider Counseling
Another thing to think about is counseling. Working with a therapist might be able to clue you into what type of temperament you have and what can be done about it. They may also provide advice on how to take advantage of the positives of the temperament you exhibit and work on the negatives that may be causing you difficulties. Your counselor can even describe the different types of temperament and what to expect from each of them. Whatever you want to know, they may be able to teach you about.
Keep in mind that you can talk to a therapist online at virtually any time. This means you are able to reach out for help at any moment.
Temperament is something that develops when you are a child, so if you notice that your child is expressing behaviors that trouble you, think about meeting with a counselor to talk about their behavior. With the right help, traits can be changed, in some cases.
Overview
While your temperament is something that you cannot control, there are things you can do to change the parts of yours that you don’t like. However, you may need help to do this. The first step is to learn what temperament you have and all the information you can about it. Next, you should work with a therapist to see what can be done to address the traits that are concerning you. There are variations that can be made, so it is possible to change your temperament a bit.
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