Upholder life

Good morning! I just need to acknowledge this lovely moment I am enjoying right now. Ethan and Ivan just left for an 8 am basketball. Asher is still sleeping. I’m sitting in our sunroom (arguably the best room in our house), with my little space heater on, my Christmas village glowing behind me AND it is lightly snowing. My tea is piping hot. 🙂

Trying to zoom in on the snow…always tricky in photos:

I usually hang out in my office for my morning routine time, but today the sunroom was definitely calling my name.

Anyway- I also need to share the greatest little gift I received yesterday!! It is an……UPHOLDER sticker!

I would bet good money that almost anyone reading this blog has heard of Gretchen Rubin and her “four tendencies” personality type quiz…. I have taken it and definitely fall into the “Upholder” category.

Basically, this means that I am likely to want to know what should be done, and then I’m likely to just do it, no real questions asked. Doesn’t matter if I am the only one “requiring” something of myself (ex. a personal challenge), or if it’s coming from an external source (like a fitness community challenge with check-ins).

Upholders like “rules” and enjoy checking off boxes and typically feel a very strong pull to complete things. We also are generally big on setting goals and enjoy that whole PROCESS almost more than anything. Upholders are famous for being able to hold themselves accountable while working toward a goal, because WE are usually our biggest critic.

If you aren’t familiar with the others, you could also be a:

-Questioner (want to first know why they should do something/ seek justification- and only then will they do it, if it seems truly justified)

– an Obliger (need outer accountability from a group/another person)

-or, a Rebel (likely to resist being “told what to do”/ won’t do something “just because” unless they really want to, personally, and see a very good reason to. Likely to find personal challenges to be weird and pointless (ahem, my husband).

My friend, who knows well that I identify as an Upholder 😊, mailed me this little Gretchen Rubin sticker with my Christmas card!! LOVE. IT!!!!!

“Discipline is my freedom”, it says. Yep! Abiding by rules/ schedules/ plans/etc. makes Upholders feel in control, and I think takes the guesswork or confusion out of how or when something will happen. Hence- freedom!

What’s your personality type??

Daily Gratitude:

I am grateful that Asher’s swim session at State is IN THE AFTERNOON this time, allowing a) Ethan to go to his basketball game this morning b) a slower morning for Asher/ me and c) all of us to be able to go to Milwaukee for the meet and to my parent’s house for the night!