Hey y’all – today is my birthday!

Today’s (self-serving) blog post is all about meeeeeeeeee! And more specifically, my personality as determined by my birth date and Disney character pairing, outlined in the book Disneystrology — which “combines astrology, numerology and the magic of movies to help readers understand their own personalities.” I was introduced to the book and this concept some years ago in a team building event at work where we all learned which Disney character was matched up with our birth date, and therefore, was supposed to be a reflection of our personality.

I had to laugh when I was told my birthday, February 7, had been paired with Fillmore – the hippy-dippy Volkswagen bus from the movie Cars. My first reaction was, “Ummmmm what?” I mean, there are definitely more awkward characters out there to be associated with (Stinky Pete? Did anyone out there actually get paired with him? LOL…) but I failed to see the connection to this one at a glance.

Then I read the description for Fillmore a little closer, and the connection actually makes a lot of sense give my love of creativity and crazy ideas. Since then, I’ve been emotionally attached to this hippy-dippy bus!

Here’s a little deep dive into Fillmore’s personality and where I feel I can relate (or not!)…

The three personality traits assigned to Fillmore are REBELLIOUS, UNCONVENTIONAL and IDEALIST.

• Rebellious – My first thought was… no way! I’m a total rule follower. I made it through 12 years of Catholic school without a single detention (for the record, detentions were handed out liberally for untucked shirts or being caught in the hallway while class was in session, so 12 years sans detention is a terrific feat). But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I sometimes have “rebellious” ideas – I’m not afraid to go against the grain when it comes to social norms. From a creative standpoint, I don’t like being pressured to do what is expected just because the people around me can’t or won’t see it any other way. And to me, “groupthink” is a nightmare… because it usually results in the most bland outcome imaginable.
• Unconventional – Um, yes. Unconventional holidays, unconventional weddings, unconventional hobbies – I’m a fan of all these things. I wholeheartedly understand the value of tradition, but at the same time, I loathe when somebody implies I must not be happy  just because I’m not doing something the “traditional” way. If “conventional” doesn’t make your heart soar, and you’re not hurting someone or something by switching it up, why make yourself do it?
• Idealist – Am I a dreamer? Heck yes. Blue sky brainstorming is my favorite. I dread being in an environment where ideas are shot down quickly because they might not be realistic (I’m pretty adamant that wonderful, doable ideas can quickly stem from kooky, unrealistic ideas – but only if the kooky ideas aren’t immediately dismissed) . For years, my personal motto has been “Dream Big” – I even displayed it on my MBA graduation cap. It all started when I fell in love with the song Dream Big by Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band, but the mantra has carried me through my college and adult years and has never let me down!

Here’s what else they say about Fillmore:

You strive to bring your vision of the world into existence. (Hello crafting! Blogging! Creative ideas! Writing!) 

You believe in equality, freedom and green living. (Sure… these are all nice things… and I recycle 😉 )

Because you are sentimental about the past and dream of a perfect future, the present can be the most difficult place for you to be. (This is pretty deep. It’s true that I’m sentimental about the past — I love nostalgia — and it’s true that I’m a dreamer — but to say that the present is “the most difficult place to be” seems extreme. I’ll admit that sometimes I feel paralyzed in the present because there is so much I want to do that I don’t even know where to start… I want to do it all!)

Your friends and your livelihood keep you grounded. (Not really sure what to say about this one, it feels a little vague, but sure. I feel like this really only applies to celebrities who are so famous that they apparently need their family and friends to help keep them “grounded” by saying stuff like, “Hey [famous person], pick up your socks!” Someday when I’m famous, I’ll let you know if my friends make me pick up my socks, and therefore keep me grounded.)

It takes awhile for people to warm up to your ideas. (Yes, of course! See what I shared above about unconventional ideas! This adds an especially difficult spin to groupthink situations. It’s hard to break through the boring groupthink wall when my ideas come across as crazy, and there’s not enough time to successfully get everyone else onboard… or due to time constraints, something just needs to “get done” and selling my crazy idea isn’t even worth it.) 

Magical Gifts: Like Fillmore, you are interested in making the world a better place for everyone. He bestows the gifts of independent thinking, humor and inclusiveness. (Who isn’t interested in making the world a better place!? And at this point, I’m pretty sure we have covered the “independent thinking” bit. Humor? I’m no Joey Gladstone [CUT. IT. OUT] but there’s are some really nice people out there who tell me I’m funny [I think they are just trying to be nice and fill awkward silences when they tell me that, though]. Inclusiveness? Sure, yeah, you want to play Red Rover with us, come on over!)

Keys to Your Success: Living your life in a way that supports and reflects your beliefs. (Check, check! Pretty sure this blog post has covered all of these points, and more!)

Well, thanks for letting me take a deep dive into the personalities of FILLMORE and LINDSAY today, in honor of February 7! I searched for an inspirational quote from Fillmore to cap off this post, but not gonna lie… he’s not really that inspirational. He just says “man” a lot.

• RESPECT THE CLASSICS, MAN! It’s Hendrix!
• You know some automotive yoga can really lower your RPMs, man.
• There’s a lot of love out there, you know man?

Peace out, man.