Downfalls of being a phlegmatic

If you have been thinking that I must have been really busy because it has been so long since my last post, think again my friends. The real reason is that I have a problem....it's called being a phlegmatic. "What is a phlegmatic?" you might be asking yourself. I like to describe it as being a person with really great intentions but those great intentions rarely turn into actions once we see the work that is involved to make those intentions actually turn into actions. Let me just give you a few examples and you will see what I mean.

Example #1- My blog. I started out with great intentions of posting all the time. We can all see how that has turned out.

Example #2- My mom (also a phlegmatic) and I threw a garage sale almost a month ago. The fact that I am just now getting around to writing about the garage sale could be an example all on it's own. But if you would have seen us setting up the garage sale and then trying to price everything you would would really have gotten a good idea of what it is to be a phlegmatic. At one point of setting up I wanted to crawl under the tables and lay in the fetal position because I felt so overwhelmed with the work we had ahead of us. And trying to price everything, I think, is highly over rated.

Example #3- My kids' baby pictures, or lack thereof. I know some day when my kids are older they will ask me why there are hardly any pictures of them. The truth of the matter is that in order for me to take a picture I have to open the drawer the camera is in, pull it out of the camera bag, turn it on, change the batteries because it seems like they are always dead, and then try to take a decent picture of my "having their picture taken challenged children." It's just a hassle.

Example #4- My workout habits. I start the day by planning on working out before the kids wake up, and then it gets pushed back to room time, which then gets pushed back to working out during nap time, which then turns into after the kids go to bed for the night, which then brings us right back to working out in the morning before the kids wake up. It's a vicious cycle.

Another wonderful trait we phlegmatics have is the inability to make a decision, which was proven several times while I was out with my mother yesterday. I saw the look of panic and confusion on my mother's face while at Costco when the checkout person asked her if she wanted a box for her groceries. Now, this may not be a big deal for you, but for a phlegmatic to have to decide if they want a box or not and answer in a timely manner is no small feat. Sure we are use to the "do you want paper or plastic?" question, but to throw a curve ball like "would you like a box"? in there can completely derail you. After much contemplation she decided to go with the box. We later regretted that decision.

We then decided it was time for lunch and after a long conversation that consisted mostly of -

"Where do you want to eat."
"I don't care. Where do you want to eat?"
"It really doesn't matter to me" "What sounds good to you?"
"Oh, I am okay with anything." (Sounds alot like those vultures from the Jungle Book doesn't it?)

We decided on Olive Garden, where we were met with more very difficult decisions that had to be made. We ordered the soup, salad, and bread sticks. When our server asked us if we wanted our soup with the salad or after our salad my mom and I both just stared at each other, both of us hoping the other person would make a decision. We started asking each other what we should do. After an uncomfortable amount of time spent debating, we still didn't know what we wanted so I just blurted out that we would have the soup after our salad, which we later regretted and asked our server to please bring our soup out before we were finished with our salad. Then came the big, do you want cheese on your salad question.Will the questions never stop! I was ready to not have to make any more decisions for the rest of the day after that meal.


Not only are phlegmatics not very motivated or good at making decisions, but we are not very detail oriented. Which would be why all the posters hanging on my sons wall are crooked. And why I assembled a fake Christmas tree upside down and didn't notice. Or why when I go shopping with my mom and my sister (also a phlegmatic) we can never remember where we parked the car until after much wandering around the parking lot with lost looks on our faces.

So now you have been given a look into my life and the things that I have to work through. I have become better at being not quite as phlegmatic as I used to be now that I am married and want to keep my husband and children happy and fed. But some days, it takes alot of pep talks with myself to get that laundry done and that dinner made.