What Emotional Are You?

1. You’re driving home after long, tiring day, but there’s a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam up ahead and it looks like you won’t be arriving home for another hour or so. You:
a) Panic about not getting home on time and worry about letting others down.
b) Feel angry and start honking irritably at other drivers.
c) Feel cross but stay calm in your car, after all, it’s not anyone’s fault.
d) Feel sorry for yourself and think, “Why does this always happen to me?”

2. Ayurvedic practitioners believe specific body types have certain emotional characteristics. Which best describes you?
a) Slim and fine-boned, without much muscle.
b) Medium builds, with fairly good muscular development.
c) Large builds, prone to roundness and gain weight easily.
d) A mixture of all these.

3. How would you describe your dreams?
a) Full of energy and often very bizarre.
b) Few and far in between.
c) Quite pleasant, but forgotten as soon as you wake up.
d) Dark and frightening at times.


4. What would you do if you needed help or just a hug?
a) Wait till you get so frustrated or upset you end up bursting in tears.
b) Just ask for it.
c) Tell yourself not to be so silly, you don’t really need that stuff.
d) Expect people to notice, then feel put out if they don’t.

5. When stressed, how do you feel?
a) Anxious, occasionally hysterical and find it difficult to sleep.
b) Frustrated, hostile and quick to anger.
c) Miserable and unable to cope.
d) A mixture of all these.

6. You’re trying to return something faulty to the shop you bought it from, but the assistant is being unhelpful. You:
a) Feel frustrated, and leaves muttering that you’ll write to the head office- but never get round to run it.
b) Raise your voice to intimidate them, and refuse to leave until you get your money back or they bring the manager.
c) Explain you’re within your rights to expect compensation, and keep repeating yourself until they gives in.
d) Say “Okay, it must be something I did. Sorry to trouble you.”

YOUR SCORE
Add up how many As, Bs, Cs and Ds you chose to discover your emotional type.

If you choose mostly As, you’re an AIR type.
Emotional strengths: You have a passion for life and are very creative. You appear to have boundless energy and always busy. Your imagination is healthy and always active, which further feeds your creativity. But this also means that your emotional range is broader than the other types. While this may be tiring at times, you enjoy having positive feelings and don’t have difficulty expressing them. When you’re pleased about something, you like to say so, and your self-confidence is high.
Emotional weaknesses: the downside to such an active imagination is that you waste a great deal of energy worrying about how others interpret what you say or do. You’re inclined to paint negative “what if” scenarios in your mind. You care a lot about what others think and like to be thought of as popular. In close or intimate relationships, you have a tendency to let your annoyances and resentment build up before you completely blow your top.
Express yourself better: learn to deal with each problem as it arises instead of storing up resentment. Try to keep your stress at a manageable level. A physical outlet for emotional energy, like walking or swimming, can help. Counteract your ‘built up/blow up’ behaviour by learning how to say what you need to, when you need to, without getting upset or aggressive.




If you choose mostly Bs, you’re a FIRE type.
Emotional strengths: You are intelligent, clear-thinking and direct; people know where they stand. If you’re annoyed, you deal with it, which means you rarely have moods. You have a firm belief in who you are and what you want out of life. You apply an unwavering code of conduct to everything and everyone. You’re the most self-assured of the emotional types.
Emotional weakness: The downside to such a forthright stance is that you can be impatient, and your bluntness and irritability can alienate sensitive souls. You don’t always realize you’ve crushed someone until it’s pointed out to you.
Express yourself better: To help curb the effects of an often caustic tongue. I suggest these simple techniques.
1.Create distance: Step away, lean back or leave the room.
2.Ground yourself: Hold an inanimate object firmly and distract yourself by thinking of the weather or a cooking recipe.
3.Release tension: Clench your fists, thump a cushion, and scream.
4.Breathe: Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply to slow down your racing heart.


If you choose mostly Cs, you’re an EARTH type.
Emotional strengths: You’re easy-going, calm and cheerful. You usually cope with hiccups easily as you’re securing about who you are. You overcome difficulties calmly, are sensible and don’t fly off the handle. When others get angry, you want to restore balance and pacify them. Your fairness and humor mean you’re never with friends.
Emotional weakness: While you’re often the first person others turn to in times of need, you have an unhealthy tendency to play down your own problems. You find difficult to talk about personal or family difficulties even with people you know well, and you’re hopeless at asking for help. As a result, you tend to ignore the warning signs of trouble on the horizon, preferring to pretend that everything is fine.
Express yourself better: You need to face your fears and accept help when you need it. You feel you should be strong and suppress you feelings of weakness because you allow to measure up to the image you’ve set for yourself. Instead, you should face the problem head-on. Your self-image should be allowed to surface, and restrictions like ‘I should be loveable/saintly /contented at all times’ should be lifted so that you can be yourself. Once you admit you’re not perfect, you can ask for and accept help. You’re the type of person who has a good friends, so trust them to do for you what you do for them.



If you choose mostly Ds, you’re a WATER type.
Emotional strengths: You’re talented and capable, with an enormous capacity to care about others. You’re often their first choice for support when things go wrong. Just as well, because you’re strong enough to shoulder the extra emotional responsibilities. Most of the time, you control your emotions and rarely let anger or tears get the better to you.
Emotional weakness: There’s a fine line between considering other people’s feelings and being exploited. You tend to let yourself be pushed around, and others thoughts can dominate. The physical consequences can include extreme tiredness. Beware of letting things you do out of duty become an excuse. You may end up frustrated if others don’t seem appreciative.
Express yourself better: It’s possible to live your own life and be helpful to others. Remind yourself that everyone has the right to say no. You can do what you want so long as it doesn’t harm others. Limits the favors you take on and only worry about the people who genuinely care about you.