Here we are at our last trait; neuroticism. I find it odd that this is a category.

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, and Agreeableness are positive traits.Or so one would think. As with anything in life, if we focus on the bad, the bad is what we see. Openness allows others to take advantage. Conscientiousness illustrates the dutiful workaholic. Extroversion makes us uneasy when we are alone. Agreeableness shows us the dutiful friend who frets how others may act or react towards them. Last but not least we have Neuroticism. In this light it’s easy to see how it fits with the others. Without further adieu, I present the good, the bad, and the truth.

The Good:

What’s good about being anxious? Glad you asked. Alone this trait can have ill effects on one’s health. But, if we couple this with Conscientiousness we have something great. A high scoring conscientious person loves order and has a plan for a plan. When faced with anxiety, proper action is already thought out. Stress relievers come to the rescue. They may go for a run, or go work out. Meditation can help along with eating food. Hey, we all know food helps the soul. This doesn’t mean we need to grab a grease-burger. A small fruit bowl, or salad will do.

The Bad:

Anxiety without a stress reliever is like a storm without a shelter. Our world can feel hopeless. It’s hard to see the good when bad things are happening. This can lead us down the slippery slope of depression. We find ourselves freezing up and not reacting as we should. With stress and anxiety out of control, out health is sure to diminish.

The Truth:

We all have our moments of high stress. That nervousness grips us and we fail to act with the correct posture. Multiply that feeling by ten, and we can begin to understand the mind of the high-scoring neurotic. We all have some form of neuroticism. Our approach defines how it affects us. This is why it is important to have some understanding when dealing with a person who scores high in this trait. We don’t need to cater or pander. We need to be a friend. Have compassion, and treat them with kindness. I’m not referring to the “Bless your heart” kindness. Reserve that for the daily fools who love to talk about nothing.

At the root of humanity, we are equal: souls within a body, riding through the galaxy on a carsel we call Earth. Our man-made ranking structure doesn’t make us better. It defines our position and our purpose. No position or purpose is more paramount than the other. We are not as clever as we tell ourselves. This is why it would benefit us to be humble. For example, ask a thousand people how to make chili, and a thousand different recipes will appear. Proving, no one knows how to make a simple dish of chili.

Until the next blog, live life, be happy, and find life’s happiness.

Steve Curtis

at1_retired@yahoo.com