2. People are soooo different

For the most part, I get along with people. For the other part, I get irritated at people if they are different. I don't think this consciously......it just happens. It's not like I'm thinking, "Mm....they are not exactly like me, thus I hate them." No, it's more like they annoy me, rub me the wrong way, or bring out the mean Becca because I take them the wrong way or because our personalities don't quite mesh well. Let me explain.

*ponders* I need to start at the beginning.

At Marietta, we had one full week of training. We used that week to work around camp and set everything up, get spiritually and mentally prepared, ect. But Coach found it to be super important that we learned how to work together and understand one another. Every single person on our staff was different. Some were more alike than others, but everyone reacted to things differently, thought differently and communicated differently. Coach taught us to analyze personalities and figure out what makes people tick. This was such a good tool to use over the summer. It helped me to connect better with my campers and with my fellow staffers. I will share a little bit of what I learned :)

First of all, there are 4 different personality dynamics:

The first is Dominant: The dominant personality type is aggressive, assertive and good at completing tasks and getting things done. They tend to be focused on goals and are determined to succeed. They are outgoing and don't mind talking to strangers. They sometimes have a hard time seeing from another person's perspective though. They tend to tell rather than ask. Sometimes this causes others to feel like they are bossy. They are confident and productive. They are great leaders and very determined.

The next is Cautious: This cautious personality are big fact people. They love details and tend to wait on making decisions until they know everything. Sometimes they can be negative, critical and even moody, but they are very thorough, analytical. They are good at solving problems and they are very orderly and precise. They can come across as intense and are teachable. They are consistent and have a method for everything. They are planners and they want to exceed expectations.

Inspiring: This personality type are the fun ones, but they can be a little restless sometimes. They are talkative, outgoing, and friendly. They seldom meet a stranger and they are enthusiastic about life. They are carefree to a fault and sometimes struggle with being serious. They can be too loud and weak-willed. They have a hard time making decisions and at times are undisciplined. They act on a whim and can be easily excited. They are emotional and even manipulative. They struggle with finishing tasks. They need change and fun.

Lastly is Supportive: These type of people are dependable and trustworthy. They are softhearted and compassionate. They are good team players and really good listeners. They are easily manipulated and are very indecisive. They struggle with communication at times and they are resistant to change. They are steady, efficient and easygoing. They are peaceful and friendly. They hate being yelled at and pushed around, but because they want to please, they are easy targets for criticism. People tend to walk over them. They struggle with saying "no."

There you have it. These four behavior types explain every person you know. They can be some of each though.

For instance, I'm a SIC. (Supportive, Inspiring, Cautious) My strongest trait is Supportive. The Inspiring comes in right behind and then I have a little bit of cautious in me too. I have very few (close to none) Dominant traits.

All the staff wrote down their letters and there were soooo many different orders. DISC, CI, ID, CID, ISC, SIC, CSI, DIC, SID are just some of them. So, there was some variety in our staff (even though most of us had Inspiring because Coach needed energy at camp :)

Because I learned WHY people are the way they are, I didn't let things get to me that normally would. For example, Coach is totally different than me. He is a high "D" and I barely have "D" at all. Sometimes I would get upset with him because I felt criticized and I HATE that. I'm such a pleaser. But because I knew how Coach operated, it helped me to take it in love and know that he wasn't trying to down me. He loves me very much...he just wanted me to do better in an area.

Another person who was different was Cameron. He was a high "C"...(I don't know this for a fact, but I would bet my arm on it) I only have a little "C" and so Cameron was different to be around. He never irritated me, but I payed attention to his personality and noticed how cautious he was and I was like, "Whoa. Different." He is a thinker and an observer. He actually taught me a lot over the summer! I now know how to "check my angles" as he calls it. (This means to watch what is going on around me) I also learned to think through things a little more :)

It was cool to find staffers who were a lot like me too. For instance, the nurses and I all shared high "S" and we meshed well because we all wanted to please and be friendly and just love :) And then people like Rokel who has some definite "I", would be crazy to hang with and make for some good laughs.

It's really awesome to me how the Lord made all of us alike, but different in our own way. We all have quirks and annoying habits, but we all fit together and can work together as a great team. God made each personality special and for different purposes! It's incredible. We serve such a big God!!!

So yeah! That's thing #2 that I learned at Camp Marietta. In summary, watch the people around you and don't always assume they do things on purpose to get on your bad side. Maybe it could be that God made them that way :)