10drxtcMEMBERWOLFPACKFAMILY LORD MASTERM...'s blog: "P.H.D. certified tests"

Your strongest belief is Honesty Now that you know that Honesty is one of your core convictions, let's take a look at how that value influences your emotional landscape — the way you experience the 8 key emotions, and how intensely you feel them. As you read your report, know this: Experts agree it's healthy to experience a full range of emotions. Some, such as happiness, are pleasant to experience. Others, like anger, may make you feel uncomfortable. Just remember that even emotions that might not feel good (like anger or sadness) may still be good for you. To avoid a certain feeling, you might try harder to avoid getting into a similar position in the future — thereby sparing yourself those bad feelings again. Overall, emotions can serve as a means of expression as well as tools for self-protection and motivation. Here's what yours say about you. Your emotional landscape report Your emotional landscape More on your belief system History behind the test For More Reading This section will reveal the intensity at which you experience the 8 key emotions (Happiness, Respect, Fear, Sadness, Hostility, Anger, Expectancy) on a scale from low to high. Read the Take Action recommendations and find out how to manage your emotions, regardless of where they are on the scale. EXPECTANCY HAPPINESS RESPECT Curiosity Peace Appreciation Expectancy Happiness Respect ANGER Yearning Elation Admiration FEAR Irritation Anger Fury HONESTY Panic Fear Worry Hatred Despair Interest Hostility Sadness Wonderment Disinterest Brooding Shock HOSTILITY SADNESS WONDERMENT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peace Happiness Elation Happiness is an incredibly powerful and positive emotion. Most of us would agree that we'd like to have as much happiness in our lives as possible. Tickle's research has shown that the experience of happiness is strongly linked to feeling competent. When you feel like you can aptly handle what life sends your way, you're more likely to feel the exhilaration of happiness. A sense of connection and belonging is also closely related to your capacity for happiness. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience happiness at a high intensity. When something really good happens in your life, you want to jump for happiness and sing your praises to the mountaintops, sharing your news with anyone and everyone. Your happiness is generally exuberant, as opposed to tranquil. While others may be more inclined to turn their happiness inward and experience it on a more personal level, you're more likely to express yours. These feelings of euphoria can be exhilarating, and as long as they are experienced in moderation, they are the icing on the cake of life. Appreciation Respect Admiration The capacity for respect is the gateway to a deeply fulfilling life. Respect in ourselves and others involves taking risks and being able to bounce back if those risks don't pay off. Tickle's research has shown that the ability to respect is strongly linked with a bounty of positive attributes, particularly a sense of self-reliance. When we can count on ourselves, it feels safer to give our respect and our faith to others. A high sense of self-worth is also closely related to your ability to feel genuine respect. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience respect at a high intensity. When you place your respect in others, you're likely to hold them in the highest regard. Your respect is absolute, while others may be a bit skeptical. Some people may think of respect as simply valuing and approving of others, but when you respect another person, you put your whole heart into it. Your tendency is to rely on the truth and integrity that you imagine is an important value of those you meet, but know that some may not be worthy of this. For you, it may be important to be more cautious about where you place your respect. Worry Fear Panic We tend to think of fear as an emotion that needs to be overcome. However, sometimes fear serves to keep us safe from potential dangers. In moderation and good proportion, fear is a useful ally. That said, Tickle's research has indicated that the more self-reliant an individual feels, the less fear they tend to experience. Taking good care of yourself and your needs can greatly diminish feelings of fear. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience fear at a moderate intensity. When something frightens you, such as a dark alleyway or an upcoming test, you may find that you experience a sense of agitation. In situations where some people feel terrified, and others feel slightly uneasy, you tend to feel something in between. You are likely to be good at listening to your fears and using them as a safety gauge. On the rare occasion when you feel pestered by an irrational fear, you may want to consider employing some relaxation techniques. Practice visualization One way to cultivate positive emotions is to practice visualization. The next time you're feeling fearful — whether you're chronically afraid of walking to your car at night, or you're terrified of saying something wrong in a social situation, or you're just feeling general anxiety — take 10 minutes to do a visualization exercise. Everyone from professional athletes to high-powered businesspeople employ visualization techniques to help them meet their greatest goals. You can use visualization to decrease anxiety and fear and replace them with a sense of calm and control. Here's how to do it: Find a private place where you can focus. You'll need to be uninterrupted for at least 10 minutes. Choose the fearful situation you want to focus on. When you first start out, try to choose a scenario that makes you feel only mildly anxious. For example, choose an upcoming dinner party that you're worried about attending or a phone call that you dread making. Close your eyes, and imagine yourself in that situation. Picture the vivid colors in the setting, feel the temperature, and smell the air. Feel the fear that starts to rise in your body. Really put yourself in the moment. Now, picture yourself doing everything just the way you've always wanted to. You say and do all the right things, exuding confidence and self-assuredness. People respond with approval and excitement. You're safe and successful. Now, choose another fearful situation, perhaps one that makes you a little more anxious and repeat the steps. Knowing your ideal outcome in a situation and visualizing how to get there builds confidence and helps you face your greatest challenges with courage and calm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brooding Sadness Despair Sadness can creep up for seemingly no reason, like on cloudy days when we find ourselves feeling a little down. It can also be overwhelming in the form of grief, such as when we lose a loved one. It's painful to feel deep sadness, but it's an inevitable part of life. Allowing ourselves to experience our sadness gives us the full range of the human experience — without sadness, how can we truly understand the emotions of happiness or eager expectancy? Yet when left unchecked, sadness can start to take over and color our view of ourselves and those around us. Tickle's research shows that feeling loved and connected to others can help alleviate feelings of sadness. Thus, a great antidote for the blues is an evening spent with a caring friend or family member. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience sadness at a moderate intensity. When you get into a funk, you generally avoid the full depths of misery. Your feelings of sadness indicate that you're in touch with your emotions and that you aren't afraid to acknowledge painful feelings. Because of this, you likely tend to be an empathic person. While being able to access your sadness is a useful emotional tool, you may sometimes get stuck in your sadness. During those occasional sad times, you may want to make plans with others to watch a light comedy or engage in other uplifting activities. Gain a fresh perspective Sadness, when chronic or pervasive, can color the lens through which we view our lives. By imagining a soothing place outside of your current life, you can get a fresh perspective on something ultimately pleasurable and this will help shift feelings of sadness. The next time you're feeling blue, try this imagery exercise: Imagine a setting that you find particularly appealing and peaceful. Maybe it's a cozy cabin in the wintry woods, complete with a patchwork quilt and a roaring fire. Or an open field on a sunny day, the breeze gently rustling the grass. Choose any place you wish you could be at that moment, anywhere that makes you feel the way you want to feel. For this example, let's use a warm, private beach. Find a quiet and comfortable space to imagine this beach. If you want to recline, prop yourself up with pillows all around you. Turn off the phone ringer. Close the doors. Dedicate the next fifteen minutes to yourself. Close your eyes and allow yourself to sink into the pillows. Picture the white sand beach and the sparkling blue waters. Feel the warm sand beneath you, cradling every inch of your body. Listen to the roar of the water, the calls of faraway seagulls. Inhale the fresh, salty air, and when you exhale, feel all of the tension drain out of your body. Feel the warm sun soaking into your muscles, softening them, and draining all the tension. Explore every sensory detail, giving yourself the time and space to really savor the experience. When you're done, slowly open your eyes and take a deep breath in, and then let it out slowly. Give yourself a few minutes to come back to the present moment, refreshed and more relaxed. If you enjoy these exercises, you may want to explore the many CDs and tapes for sale that can lead you through imagery exercises or make one of your own. You may also choose to imagine positive events that have happened in your past or particular experiences that were highly pleasurable. These mini-mind vacations can introduce a sense of contentment into your day in just ten or fifteen minutes and they will give you a break from the blues for long enough that you feel refreshed and ready to face what's bothering you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shock Wonderment Interest On occasion, it's fun to be filled with wonder, to be surprised. For example, it feels good to come home to discover that our household chores have already been done, to find out we're getting a bonus at work, or to hear unexpected good news. However, Tickle's research has indicated that feelings of wonderment can also leave us feeling unsettled. Being filled with wonder means we're taken off-guard, and as a result we may feel less able to access our personal resources of power. Feeling surprised in this way can also cause us to be less flexible, since being startled, by its very nature, makes us feel less in control. Deepening our connections to others can help us to feel more grounded and less prone to this kind of upset when things happen that we weren't expecting. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience wonderment at a high intensity. When something surprises you, you tend to be stunned for a long time. Unexpected news, such as a significant promotion at work, impacts people in different ways. Some people tend to feel mildly upset or alarmed, but you're more likely to feel shocked. If the intensity of your wonderment throws you off, it may be helpful for you to pay extra attention to the thoughts and concerns of those around you, as this may give you a heads up about things that would otherwise escape your attention. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shock Hostility Interest Hostility can take the form of utter lack of interest or complete hatred. There are plenty of times when some degree of hostility is warranted. We may feel weary after our fifth unpleasant blind date in a row or offended when someone treats us with disrespect. When a person does something heinous, such as assault an innocent stranger, it's not unreasonable to feel something more akin to loathing. That said, hostility and hostility can also be unwarranted; expressing scorn just because someone is driving more slowly than you think they should can wear on you and spread negativity to others. Tickle's research has shown that compassion is the natural antidote to hostility. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience hostility at a low intensity. When someone makes an inappropriate comment, for instance, you're more likely to feel bored or jaded, whereas others may gravitate toward more intense feelings, such as dislike or even loathing. Your feelings of hostility can be used as a gauge to identify behavior that is ultimately offensive, and they can motivate you to take action against such behavior. Since you experience hostility at a low intensity you probably tend to be more empathetic toward yourself and others, and you probably try to maintain positive feelings about people in general. Keep an eye on your tendency to be bored by someone's inappropriate behavior — boredom can be an indication that you've given up the hope of responding to a person or situation effectively. Responding with action instead of apathy may be a useful tool for you to deal effectively with inappropriate situations. Develop a regular meditation practice Often we feel bored with situations or hostile toward the behavior of others because of our strong judgments about them. For instance, we might think things like: This job isn't good enough for me. My partner doesn't appreciate me. My friend is making a huge mistake. While there are times when judgment is healthy — for instance, when someone is abusing us or someone else — the problem is in seeing a definitive right or a wrong when there are actually multiple paths of thought. One way to examine our judgments is to practice regular meditation. There are many different kinds, most of which focus on bringing your awareness to the present moment. Here's a good method to start with: Find a comfortable and quiet space to sit. You'll start with a five-minute meditation session (set a timer if it will help you let go more easily). Close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Listen to it moving in and out of your body, slowly and deeply. Bring your breath all the way down into your belly, letting it fill up before slowly exhaling. While you continue to inhale and exhale, place all of your focus on the sound and feeling of your breath. Other thoughts will try to horn in — the laundry, deadlines, your tense neck — but you should just let them pass. Continue to focus and refocus on your slow, deep breathing. If you have a hard time focusing on your breath at first, you may choose a mantra — a word that you can repeat again and again. Some common mantras are the words "om," "peace," or "calm." You may also want to think of the word "in," as you inhale, and "out" as you exhale, but you should choose a method that helps you find that state of calm, focused attention on your breath. When judgments come to you as you are sitting there, just observe them, and then let them go. You don't need to be constrained by any one way of thinking. You don't need to obsess about the past or worry about the future. All you need to do is focus on the present moment, yourself, and your breath. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Irritation Anger Fury Anger is perhaps the most controversial and confusing of emotions. When left unchecked, anger can spin out of control and cause us to behave in destructive or hurtful ways. When ignored, it can fester inside and overpower our other more positive emotions. Yet the experience of anger is also healthy and beneficial. Tickle's research has revealed that the healthy expression of anger is linked to feelings of self-reliance. Anger can help us to gauge when we are being treated fairly and when we need to speak up for ourselves. When anger starts to feel overwhelming, it can help to work on being flexible with ourselves and others. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience anger at a low intensity. When you're wronged, you're unlikely to feel enraged or even angry. You tend to experience your anger as irritation or annoyance. Because you aren't quick to anger, you're easy to get along with and people appreciate your flexibility. However, there are times when feeling anger at a higher intensity is healthy and appropriate. It may be helpful for you to engage in a daily meditation practice, which can help you get in touch with any dormant feelings. Gaining access to your anger when you need it can help to ensure that you're your own best advocate in life. Try progressive muscle relaxation Anger involves a building up of tension and then finding an outlet or release for it — and it can be dangerous to unleash your anger in the wrong way or place. One way to release some of your stored-up or intense anger is to try Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). PMR is a relaxation technique that involves tensing and releasing muscle groups, which some psychologists believe mimics the physiological response of intense laughter. Regardless of why it works PMR just feels good — afterward you'll be left with looser muscles and a feeling of great release. Here's how to do it: Lie down in a comfortable position, and take a few deep breaths to help you settle in. Then, squeeze and hold all of the muscles in your face. Scrunch your forehead, close your eyes, crinkle your nose, clench your jaw, and purse your lips together as tightly as you can. Then, without releasing, squeeze all features even tighter. And then even a little tighter. Hold the squeeze as tightly as you possibly can for between 30 and 60 seconds, and then, all at once, release all of the muscles. Take a few deep breaths, and then move on to your neck and shoulders. Hunch your shoulders until they practically touch your ears. Clench your neck and your jaw tight. Hold it. And clench them tighter and tighter. Hold for 30-60 seconds, and release. Follow these same steps individually for each of your muscle groups — first your arms and hands, then your stomach and lower back, buttocks, thighs, calves, and, finally, your feet and toes. Once you're finished, try clenching your entire body all at once. Tense your body as vigorously as possible, scanning each muscle group and squeezing all of them as tightly as you can. Then, after 60 seconds, release your muscles and feel the whoosh of relaxation take over. Enjoy a minute or two of calm, deep breathing before rejoining your day. Sometimes all it takes is some relaxation to release the anger that you were feeling. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Curiosity Expectancy Yearning Expectancy is the emotion that has us thinking of our futures. Our curiosity will always keep us exploring new topics and pursuing new relationships. It's hope that drives us to pursue our goals. It's eagerness that drives us to look forward and build today what we can enjoy tomorrow. Tickle's research has shown that expectancy is linked with feeling a high degree of personal power. We allow ourselves to hope because we believe that to some extent we can do something to make our dreams a reality. Expectancy comes easiest when we feel secure in ourselves and safe in our world. In addition, the more open-minded we feel, the easier it can be to luxuriate in our excitement about the future. Your test results have revealed that you tend to experience expectancy at a moderate intensity. For instance, when planning your vacation or getting ready to start something new, you're likely to spend a lot of time preparing. Looking forward to things can add spice to life, and being able to feel that excitement means you don't tend to prepare for the worst or hold back on your eagerness. This enthusiasm adds thrill to your life, and others find your good feelings contagious. The downside to your levels of expectancy is that sometimes you may feel disappointed or let down when things go wrong, and you may find it difficult to be 'in the moment' when you're focusing on something that hasn't yet happened. Making sure to balance your expectations for the future with an appreciation for what you already have is important for your emotional balance and well-being. Find positive meaning in your life One of the best ways to limit the impact of negative emotions is to find positive meaning in life. This can be achieved in a number of ways: Increase the number of pleasant activities you engage in each week. Choose things you genuinely enjoy doing, not things you think you should do. For instance, if physical activities are pleasurable for you, take long walks, or lounge around in your local pool, or take a yoga class. If you love quiet time alone, allow yourself to read novels or trashy magazines or the newspaper in the morning, while you sip fresh-squeezed orange juice. Consciously make pleasant activities a part of your daily routine. It may feel good to share some of these activities with others, while saving some for special alone time. Look on the bright side. While it may seem cliché, there are tangible benefits to reframing a negative experience into a positive one. Your beliefs about an event, and the thoughts you choose to give merit to, directly impact your emotional state. So when you don't get that job you were hoping for, trust that something better will come along. When you miss that movie, take pleasure in the fact that you'll have more time to chat with your dinner date. Actively looking for what the possible benefits of any situation are, and choosing to focus on those rather than the drawbacks, will increase your sense of satisfaction and peace in your life. Consider exploring your spiritual self. Those with spiritual or philosophical beliefs seem to find and appreciate the meaning of life; they make sense of major life events and more likely to find positive meaning in their lives. Set and attain realistic goals. Feeling like you're making progress in life toward what's important to you makes it much more likely that you'll find a state of contentment. For example, if you've always wanted to feel physically strong and fit, commit to walking 10 minutes a day, adding five minutes to your daily walk time each month. If you've always wanted to write that novel, start by committing to writing for two hours a week, and then follow through with it. Give ordinary events in your life special meaning. If you hate going grocery shopping because you think it's boring, think of it as a way to nourish yourself. See it as an act of self-love and ultimate caring, and remind yourself of that each time you go. View your work as a way to support yourself and your loved ones. Your emotional landscape report Your emotional landscape More on your belief system History behind the test For More Reading As you already know, the emotions discussed above, and how you experience them, stem from your core belief in Honesty. Your Honesty directly affects how you scored on the emotions scales, as well as how you experience the key emotions in life. Think of your belief as a lens through which you view the world, and then read below to find out what it means about your approach to life. Then go back and look at your results on the emotions scales and you may begin to understand why you scored the way you did. Your strongest belief is honesty. 48% of test takers also hold honesty as an important value in life. Because of your uncompromisingly honest nature, you generally feel most fulfilled when you can fully share your thoughts and feelings, good or bad. People likely come to you when they need a forthright opinion because they know you are brave enough to tell your version of the truth, and you enjoy being around people who are forthcoming with their thoughts and opinions as well. Those around you have come to expect that you will generally "tell it like it is." You may feel that any untruth, even a little white lie, will lead to more harm than good. Your emotional intolerance for dishonesty — in yourself and others — makes you a highly trustworthy person. Here's an example to illustrate what we mean: Juliet's strongest belief is also honesty. It's not hard to imagine that when her co-worker let her in on his plan to skim money off the top of their company's profits, she was pretty shocked. As his motivation, he cited their employer's recent reduction in benefits and the fact that they hadn't received a raise in three years, but none of his justifications swayed Juliet. Because she has such a deep belief in the value of honesty, all of her emotions about the experience were heightened. She was appalled by her co-worker's inferior ethics, but she didn't want to turn him in, especially since she knew he had a family to help support. Instead, she reminded him that their employer had made many of the cutbacks as a strategy to avoid laying anyone off during the dry spell. And because she felt that it compromised her honesty to be in any way a part of the money-skimming plan — even by just knowing about it and letting it happen — she then informed her co-worker that if he went ahead with it, she'd have no choice but to expose the discrepancies in the books. Juliet felt comfortable with her approach because she was putting the decision back in her co-worker's hands and informing him of the consequences ahead of time, which she felt was the most honest way to manage the situation.