Friendly, Talkative Sanguine

Sanguine!!!

The Sanguines burst upon the scene like fireworks: vivacious, colourful, loud, and all eyes on them!
Sanguines would prefer to either be first, or, as in this case, make a grand entrance at the end of the show. Hurrah!!

Everybody loves a Sanguine. And a Sanguine loves everybody! Being with people, talking, laughing it up, telling ridiculous stories...this is Life At It's Best for this personality type. Unlike the introverted Phlegmatic and Melancholy, Sanguine is out there. Extroverted and the life of the party. Who is standing on the table? Who is telling a loud story (embellished richly with details that may or may not be exactly truthful but are certainly hilarious), attracting a growing audience? The dancing girl in my last post with the huge piece of cake, going from guest to guest, is a Sanguine. She's having fun and wants everyone to have fun, too.

If you've watched Parks and Rec (TV show), Tom Haverford is a Sanguine. Yep.  You get it.
(If you haven't watched P and R, what have you been doing with your life!? That show is a riot. In a can. With sprinkles.)

"Everywhere I go, I'm walking on red carpet." -Tom Haverford

"The only good font is the Soprano's one where the R is a pistol." - also Tom Haverford

Tom has the classic Sanguine conundrum; he wants to be amazing, successful, popular, and talented....but he also wants to do whatever he wants, and that part usually wins. He wants to have money, but he wants to spend money more. He wants to have good relationships with people, but he doesn't want to give more of himself than he has to. He wants his cake....and he can't believe he just ate it, the entire thing, by himself.

Signs and Wonders

You can tell a Sanguine pretty much by the way they dress. (But not always.) Where a Melancholy will be carefully matched, often in pastels or softer colours, a Sanguine will be wearing Skittle clothes. Ok maybe not exactly Skittles, per se. You will notice them, though.

 The coach with the plaid shirt, dark purple pants, red tie flung over his shoulder. The woman who comes to the party late, laughing, dressed in yellow, orange and peacock blue, and some kind of 'bling' flashing. The kid who can't wait to dye his hair orange and picks the most amazing looking running shoes at Sport Chek...you know the ones.

The color red is a popular choice of the true Sanguine. Rock stars often wear red, when they aren't wearing black...Jim Morrison, Steven Tyler, Taylor Swift,  Axl Rose, Sting, Demi Lovato, Gwen Stefani, Brandon Flowers...etcetera. All front, center, and sporting a red something; bandanna, stilettos, Napoleon jacket, lipstick vest. Being a rock star and being Sanguine kinda go hand in hand.
 
Someone like Kurt Cobain though? A front man who was not a Sanguine, he couldn't stand the attention and lack of privacy. It probably drained him utterly being in front of people all the time. Naturally introverted, he wanted people to "get" his music, but it drove him crazy watching them all sing along. "With the lights out/it's less dangerous/here we are now entertain us/I feel stupid and contagious/here we are now, entertain us" go the lyrics to the grunge song that blew up the charts, toppling glam rock and pop like a statue of Stalin. He was a Melancholy/Phlegmatic in a Sanguine/Choleric world; a creative person in a performer's role.
I'd love to dedicate a whole blog post to Kurt and grunge and personality....maybe some day.
Oh well, whatever, nevermind.

The Good, Bad, and Ugly in Sanguine Town

The great thing about Sanguine people is they are so optimistic and fun-loving. They know how to motivate and inspire, and can quickly spread enthusiasm for a project. Their curiosity and high-energy bravado make them excellent idea people, good at selling and getting things "off the ground." They have very expressive faces, and often talk with their hands. A Sanguine is likely to view giving a speech as a great opportunity, and will approach it with confidence and excitement. They will be so funny and interesting that no one will notice they only followed their notes for about two minutes.

 If you need someone to introduce you to people, the Sanguine will be the perfect contact. They have so many friends it's not even fair. If you are feeling down, the Sanguine will take you on a shopping spree or an impulsive trip, saying, "Come on! It will be so fun, you'll love it!" Sanguines live in the moment, and forget about the past easily. They will forgive and forget. When the Sanguine finally arrives (because he completely lost track of the time), every head turns and everybody smiles, genuinely happy the Sanguine is here to start the party.

Tigger is Sanguine

The Bad 

On the downside, Sanguines can be attention hogs, and may barge into conversations simply because they feel left out. Generally disorganized and lackadaisical about boring things like time and schedules, the Sanguine may have a messy desk and constantly be late for meetings and appointments. The maddening thing is though they will apologize profusely, you know they will do it again tomorrow. They truly cared, deeply, for about thirty seconds, and then it faded into the past. 

The Sanguine will have a great idea, but won't be able to see it through. They need someone to do the legwork, to keep them on track, or they will litter the landscape with abandoned projects. "Well it seemed great at the time, but it's totally not fun anymore."

Sanguines are expressive talkers. They might knock a vase off your table with their flailing arms. They love to talk, and may not have the patience to listen. If you try telling them your problem, they will most likely launch into a story to illustrate how they feel exactly the same way, and before you even finish your sentence they will have it all figured out. Sanguines must learn to Shut. Up.

Speaking of stories, they love telling them, often embellishing details and adding little things here and there to make it more interesting. Not lying really...not meaning to lie.... but yeah it's actually lying if you think about it. And if you tell a Sanguine something in confidence, well, don't say I didn't warn you. They seem to have an uncontrollable need to spill, whether it's their guts or someone else's.
(Ok that wasn't a great sentence from a visual perspective...haha. Idioms taken up a notch don't always read well!)

Being with an impulsive Sanguine can be AWESOME - and it can also be hell. "What!? You booked us tickets for where?? WHEN???!"  
"Excuse me? You are getting married...TOMORROW??" 
"Well we were thinking of tonight, but thought it might be too soon." Sometimes the best advice a Sanguine can hear is 'Think Before Acting or Speaking'.
Ahhh, yes. That.

Sanguines are often over-sharers. Every thought they want someone to hear or identify with gets posted on Facebook or Instagram immediately. It's a great time, but really...people may have other things to do than read your post, oh Sanguine. And if they don't "like" it immediately, it doesn't mean everyone hates you and you're a loser. Just post about half the things you want to, and the world will still go on.

The Ugly

There's nothing ugly. That was just to finish the phrase. If there is anything ugly, the Sanguine will pretty it up and sell it for 10 times its worth. 

 

The Wrap-up

The fun-loving, sunny Sanguine can be great to have around, but too much exposure can make you feel a bit sun-burned. You may need to seek shelter, especially if you are on the introverted end of the spectrum. Sanguines need to learn that life goes on when they aren't the center of attention. Also, they like to hug everyone they meet, or drape themselves on people to show affection, but a little shoulder squeeze here and there will do it. 

  If the Sanguine works with their strengths and considers how to tone down their weaknesses, he or she can become fairly balanced. If they get out of control, well, that tends towards narcissism. The ME Monster....and nobody likes those.
Admittedly, the above portrayal has been something of a caricature. No Sanguine is totally as I've described, because there are bits of the other personalities sprinkled in that change the flavor of  individual temperaments.
If You are Sanguine, don't hide your personality and think that you are "too much" for everyone.  Enjoy your flair and zest.  When you feel anxious and burnt out, try and relax; take a seat, lean in and listen to someone else.
If you are close to a Sanguine, take a deep breath and dive in. They will help you get the most out of life. If you feel overwhelmed, let them know gently. The Sanguine's feelings may seem hard and brittle like candy, but they are pretty sensitive, more like fudge.

I hope this post opens a window on understanding the personality that loves life, loves people, and just wants the whole world to love them back.

Cheese Whiz (also) Adds Personality

"Cheese Whiz adds (bom) Personality, personality...." Da, da da da.

That little jingle is ingrained in my consciousness and I didn't even grow up with TV. So why would the Cheese Whiz people choose to market their brand with the word "Personality?"
Without cheese whiz, you have a bland, boring, insignificant piece of toast, or bread, or cracker. (Actually, without cheese whiz you avoid instant clogging of the arteries, but let's pretend we don't know that.)

WITH cheese whiz, you have Zinggg!! Spark! Fun! Taste! A certain 'joie de vivre', if I may.
WITHOUT it, you lack that defining characteristic that makes things interesting, that makes a robot human, that gives worth and meaning to life. Very important stuff!!

I've always been fascinated by personality.

Why do some people see things so differently than I do? Why do they act so strange?

Personality is sometimes called temperament. The word 'temperament' is used to describe those innate traits that are genetically implanted -- the backbone of personality, so to speak. All the learned behaviors, coping mechanisms and those traits acquired by environment and influence -- those are the flesh and face of temperament, or what the world sees when they see you.

How many people do you know who have been hired at once, with perhaps no skill for the job whatever, and you know it was because they had a naturally warm, pleasing personality? Or maybe there is a great friend that you overlooked for awhile, because you couldn't get past the cool, aloof exterior.

Why does Mrs. Perfect make Christmas lists galore and yet never seems to be quite ready for the party, and certainly can't enjoy it?
And why does Mrs. Nutso, who can't remember or make a list for the life of her, throw an enormous, splendid bash that folks remember for years?

How come the guy sitting by himself at the party turns out to be a witty conversationalist who keeps you fascinated for two straight hours?
And how come the grinning host who took your coats and bags when you came in, then sat you down graciously, spends the whole evening arguing vehemently with another guest? Not to mention you noticed him criticizing his poor wife for her hap-hazard, though colorful, attire.

It's a party, all right. Life is full of personality.

I enjoy studying what makes people tick. It has helped immensely in both understanding myself and others. I have more patience for fellow-travelers on this journey, and more grace for our collective idiosyncrasies.

Does this get people off the hook for being nasty, ridiculous, edgy, or petty? Nope.

One of the most frustrating things is hearing someone cover their mistake or laziness with "Oh, that's just the way I am!"  Or, they cannot be persuaded to look at things from an angle other than their own. "That's the way I see it." is their final, smug word. And if you try to point out the trench they have dug around themselves....good luck. They are intently focused on the thin slice of truth directly in front of their eyes.

Now, if you have a certain temperament, there are certain temperaments which will naturally drive you crazy. It will be great fun when we get to that part of the discussion. Also, there is one temperament which scoffs at the study of personality and we can have a good laugh at them because they will never read this far down the blog.
And perhaps most important, there is never just one type of personality in a person. We are each a blend, or a mix even, though generally there is one dominant temperament - one that stands out more from the others.

So here begins a little study of the temperaments. A human exploration, if you will.

Choleric, Melancholic, Sanguine, Phlegmatic

Though there are several modern personality theories, I've found the most helpful to be the original four temperaments suggested by the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BC).

Phlegmatic by Lespagnandelle,
Grande Commande, Palace of Versailles. 

These four were developed further by Galen (AD 131-200), and elaborated on by thinkers, psychologists and scientists up to the present day. Some well-known contributors are Immanuel Kant (1700's) and Ethan Fromm (1947). More recently, we have the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and Meyer Friedman's Type A and B, which was used in cardiology to determine risk factor for heart disease. But let's not get bogged down in the history or the details!

(though if you're interested, I recommend looking it up  - fascinating stuff.)

We must begin with the Cholerics, because they would insist upon it. Though rarely, as suggested earlier, does a true Choleric give this kind of thing the time of day, let alone study it. Perhaps the Phlegmatic could convince one, but only by their subtlety and wit...

Stay tuned for the next post about the Choleric personality. (IF I can carve out an hour to do it; this morning I am pushing back an avalanche of responsibility in order to hold my computer in my arms....)

In the meantime, what is my personality? I'll tell you one thing, I was the most surprised of all.

 

Paint and Life

Why is choosing a paint color so difficult? For me it's always incredibly hard. Crazy though -- why would I rather live in drabness for years, rather than take a risk with a paint I may hate? Besides all the obvious reasons such as cost, hard work, dealing with smell and drip cloths and taping off ceiling and trim...I'm wondering if I fear failure too much. Don't want to mess it up!! Yep that's probably it, alright.
 And another thing. This part has to do with personality, or personaliTIES as the case may be! For those of you who know the 4 basic personalities of Choleric, Sanguine, Melancholy and Phlegmatic, I happen to be a strong Melancholy and Sanguine blend. Now for the uninitiated, these two profiles are OPPOSITES. They sit on opposite sides of the table and rarely strike up a conversation for fear of eye-rolling and unpleasantness. And the table they are sitting at happens to be up in my brain, or psyche, or what-have-you. So the melancholy, list-making, careful planner wants grey, and rules and subtle sophistication. Sanguine Pam wants teal blue, and copper, and lively swirls, and to leave the rich golden color on the living room walls. Unfortunately for the walls of my house, there seems to be a standoff between these two darlings. Ever try to be bold and original, yet thoughtful and careful at the same time?! HMMM?? Good luck.
Now I understand spontaneous combustion.  Ha ha. That was a little joke.

Sanguine Pam is laughing.
Melancholy Pam is wondering how long it will be until I'm done writing this blog and can get on with my day.
Sanguine Pam is secretly planning to take a nap.
What both don't realize is in about 5 minutes I'm going to force all of us to do a tough exercise routine. (hee hee)

What's it gonna be? Grey Whisp or Gossamer Blue? As a university student renting off campus, my roommate and I just went to Canadian Tire and bought whatever reasonable mis-tint was there that day for four bucks. And were quite happy with the results! Aahh Life, when didja get so complicated.