Strengths

Here we go, I finally got 'em. These are my top 5 strengths according to Strengthsquest:

Context-
This one means that I don't overlook the past. I look into it to see meaning and causes for the present. I can pick out the things that have caused the present to be what it is. I can see what was intended. I understand how other people have become who they are.

I see this one totally. I've somewhat recently been so much more interested in history than ever before. I'm just curious about everything and I love learning about people. I want to understand how things work and I often ask "why?"

Empathy-
This says that I know what people are feeling around me. I can feel their feelings as well and even though I may not always agree with them, I can see things from their perspective. I am tactful in my words and can "give voice to [a person's] emotional life."

I like to think this one is reflective of me. I have a lot of friends with some very different opinions and views on life. Though I don't agree, I feel like I can talk to them and be beneficial to them anyway. I feel like I can give my own opinion to friends in words that won't alienate them. I feel like I know what people need and I try to do that for them.

Woo-
This one means I like to "win others over". It also means that I love to meet new people. I see new people as a challenge. I want to know about them and find similarities between us. I'm never shy to start a new conversation. The theme also says that once I've made my connection I like to move on to new people. "In your world there are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet."

I agree with parts of this one. I'll admit it: I like others to like me. Isn't it only human? I love to find common areas of interest between me and others and talk about it. It's true, I'm not shy to begin conversations and I'm usually up to meeting new people. The part I don't think is true is about moving on to new people. Once I make a connection I usually want to build on that and make a stronger relationship. I love people, and to be honest, the only reason I'd want to move on from someone is if they annoy me, are boring or offend me.

Input-
I collect things. Maybe these things are physical objects or they may be thoughts and facts. The things I collect interest me (no kidding?). Apparently, I find a lot of things interesting because this world is so diverse and complex. "If you like to travel, it is because each new location offers novel artifacts and facts." I'll store these and hopefully use them again someday-because I won't throw them away.

I'd agree with most of this one, too. I love to collect pictures for memories (which ties in with my first strength, context). My mind is one that is easily intrigued. I love languages and travel because they are different and new. I could take the last part literally and say that I've (mostly) gotten over the packrat thing, but at the same time they are all just put on the back burner in my brain.

Learner-
"You love to learn." The process of learning is the most intersting part for me. Those first few steps of learning get me really excited and I long for the process of building on that beginning knowledge. I am able to take on short projects and can learn a lot about a particular matter in a short time, and move on to the next.

I guess this one's true, too. I've found that I do get excited in the very beginning and then I just yearn to become proficient in the matter. The part about short projects is true, also. I can pack a lot of info into my head about a particular subject.


I've thought about it, and I actually think a lot of these qualities about me have emerged to their full....strength, for lack of a better word, in the last year. I think last year was where I grew the most in emotionally and is where I kind of found myself.