The other week I was at the gym, and a coach saw my rib tattoo. Now, I don’t usually walk around half-naked in the gym (although I definitely don’t complain when the very-musclely men exercise sans shirts), but on this particular day I had my shirt rolled up, and I guess it was the first time he had noticed the tattoo.
Anyway, he made the comment that he didn’t think of me as the ‘bad-ass tattoo type girl’ or something like that. The exact wording isn’t important, you get the idea.
So of course I get all introspective on my rowing machine and wonder, ‘hmmmm so what type of girl does he think I am and why does he think that? What type of girl has tattoos and why am I not that type?’
This particular coach (and all coaches at the gym, actually) probably think I’m quiet. I mean, at the gym I guess I am fairly reserved. I go to workout and then I come home. I’m nice, I chat a bit with the coaches, but I’m definitely not the loudest one there. (I don’t have enough energy, darnit!)
But, my high school and college friends would definitely say I’m outgoing and possibly even loud. I’m not sure about this, because I haven’t bothered to ask them, but I guarantee ‘quiet’ wouldn’t be on their list of adjectives they would use to describe me.
I get this a lot, actually. People are generally surprised that I have tattoos. I guess they think I’m too nice or too quiet or too reserved or something.
Sometimes it’s fun to be someone/something different for a while!
I suppose I have a contradictory personality, and I would assume that most other people do, too.
For instance:
// I’m an accounting and finance major, with a CPA, who works (or worked, as the case may be at this point) in IT Consulting. (Nerd alert! But I like to think I’m a fun nerd).
// But I’m super into watching professional sports.
// You could say that I take myself pretty seriously.
// But I also have tattoos. (3, actually. I want a fourth but the Husband doesn’t like them.)
// I love to take pictures with my DSLR and read books by myself.
// But I’m an off-the-scale extrovert (so the personality tests tells me).
// I would describe myself as very liberal (although slightly fiscally conservative).
// And I’m an Evangelical Christian.
// I am completely risk averse.
// But the Husband and I enjoy riding his motorcycle around town.
// I love country music.
// But I also went to Lollapalooza for three years in a row, and only stopped going because of scheduling conflicts.
// I’m a feminist (but nowadays, who isn’t?!).
// But I strongly believe that there are some gender roles that just make sense and I love chivalry.
// I enjoy vacationing in big cities, but my idea of relaxing is in nature.
// I tend to agonize about and over-plan my future (I’m working on this, but I still do it)
// But I make some decisions without much thought at all. (Purchasing plane tickets / planning vacations / etc.)
// I’m critical of myself.
// But I hate confronting other people and rarely, RARELY complain about professional services.
// I’m afraid of heights, but when I traveled often for work – airplanes were my safe place where I felt most relaxed.
// I’m a minimalist in a lot of ways.
// But I have 20+ winter jackets. (I absolutely LOVE jackets. Plus, I live in Chicago, so a person really can’t have too many, right?!)
// I hate spending money on public transportation, but I have no problem dropping a few hundred dollars on an airplane ticket.
I’m sure I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
We don’t always dress ridiculously, sometimes we go to classy Great Gatsby parties and dress in more formal attire.
There are so many different aspects to each person, and first (or third, or fifth) impressions can barely crack the surface to figure out who someone really is. I know that I’ve probably judged almost everyone I know based on what type of person I think they probably are based on aspects of their personality I know about. I like to think of people as consistent – even though most of us are far from it.
I’m never offended if/when people misunderstand me, but I do derive some satisfaction from ‘surprising’ someone with an aspect of my multi-dimensional personality.
Have you had a similar experience? Has someone ever told you they’re surprised by an aspect of your personality? Have you ever judged someone completely inaccurately?
Cheers to differences and diversity and all the different aspects that makes each of us unique!
