What the compulsive type should strengthen
This is not a list of flaws — the strengths of the type are already there. What follows is what it usually lacks, and what can be built up with practice.
In short: psychological flexibility · independence from other people's rules · trusting your own feelings · emotional awareness · artistry and creativity · bodily flexibility
Psychological flexibility. Being able to switch from one set of rules to another and to step back from rigid norms for a while, in order to check your views against reality. Flexibility lowers inner tension and opens up new ways of solving problems.
Independence from other people's rules. Living by other people's expectations leads to losing yourself. Sorting out your own values and desires means understanding what you actually want, rather than which standard you are following.
Trusting your own feelings. Relying on logic alone impoverishes perception. Learning to live not only with your head but with your heart is a task in its own right, not a side effect of the others.
Emotional awareness. Telling your own emotions apart and understanding them more deeply. This improves your relationship both with yourself and with those around you.
Artistry and creativity. Painting, music, dance, theatre — practices that unlock creative potential and lift a person out of rigid frames. A side effect is inventiveness and a more flexible approach to any task.
Bodily flexibility. Physical activity and attention to the state of the body — yoga, dancing, any kind of movement — help you feel more at home in your body and release the tension that has built up.
