Strength #2: Relator

Relator describes your attitude toward your relationships. In simple terms, the Relator theme pulls you toward people you already know. You do not necessarily shy away from meeting new people – in fact, you may have other themes that cause you to enjoy the thrill of turning strangers into friends – but you do derive a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends. You are comfortable with intimacy. Once the initial connection has been made, you deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationship. You want to understand their feelings, their goals, their fears, and their dreams; and you want them to understand yours. You know that this kind of closeness implies a certain amount of risk – you might be taken advantage of – but you are willing to accept that risk. For you a relationship has value only if it is genuine. And the only way to know that is to entrust yourself to the other person. The more you share with each other, the more you risk together. The more you risk together, the more each of you proves your caring is genuine. These are your steps toward real friendship, and you take them willingly.

Wow. I could not describe this particular side of me better! It's true - if I meet someone that I really like right off the bat, then I will make a concerted effort to delve deeper with them. I can only take small talk for so long... that's what I do with acquaintances - not friends. Another biggy with me to help establish a genuine friendship is doing stuff with that person... make memories with them. Oh! And confiding in them and them in me. I consider a friend confiding in me to the be the biggest compliment they can give me and I take it seriously... because I want them to take it seriously when I confide in them. Also ... whoa... and this one is big... I don't consider a friendship to be truly genuine if the "friend" is always or nearly always backing out on me or canceling something we've planned or... the like. Obviously there are extenuating circumstances or maybe someone's lost "the mood" to do something... so just let me know ahead of time and let's plan something for later to make up for it. I'm cool with that.... as long as it doesn't become a pattern. And the reason why this is so big with me.... ??? ... you'll see tomorrow when I list strength #3!! :)