I\u2019ve been down some deep rabbit holes over the past few years.<\/p>\n
When I find something that sparks my interest, I become obsessed with learning everything I can about it.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve discovered things like astrology, human design, David Kibbe\u2019s style system, color analysis, and Ikigai, all of which have led me to a deeper understanding of myself and my personal preferences.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve had a-ha moment<\/em>s after learning that my astrology placements can explain my love for writing or that oversized, trendy clothes don\u2019t work on me because I\u2019m a Soft Classic in Kibbe\u2019s style system.<\/p>\n These systems and labels can be helpful because they validate and confirm what we already know about ourselves. They help us name confusing concepts and provide parameters that reduce analysis paralysis.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s one problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n My interest in these systems and personality tests starts as excited curiosity and then quickly slips into an all-consuming need to get everything \u2018right.\u2019 It\u2019s easy for an interest to become an obsession (and thanks to Reddit, I know I\u2019m not the only one).<\/p>\n So are these systems actually helpful if they cause us to hyperfocus on making the \u2018best\u2019 or \u2018right\u2019 decision?<\/em><\/p>\n Today I\u2019m sharing what I\u2019ve learned from these systems, how we find meaning through them, and why I really<\/em> think we like to label ourselves.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start by talking about different systems and labels so you understand what I\u2019m referring to.<\/p>\n Forewarning: after reading this, you may fall into some of your own rabbit holes.<\/em><\/p>\n Introduced in the 1980s, David Kibbe\u2019s style system<\/a> is based on 13 image identities. These identities aren\u2019t related to the typical fruit body shapes (apple, pear, etc.) but rather how proportionate you look, whether you\u2019re more angular or rounded, and how tall or short you seem.<\/p>\n The idea is to dress in a way that complements your natural features. Perhaps you\u2019ve always struggled to make clothing trends work, but you couldn\u2019t figure out why. Your Kibbe body type might give you some clues.<\/p>\n You can try to figure out which type you are using online quizzes, but only David Kibbe himself can give an accurate typing. Because of this exclusivity, people feel they have no choice but to determine their own type, and there are subreddits to help people figure it out.<\/p>\n It\u2019s all good fun when you\u2019re getting started, but it can quickly become frustrating when you don\u2019t fall neatly into one category or get stuck trying to follow the guidelines.<\/p>\n Color analysis <\/a>(aka finding your \u201cbest colors\u201d) is another system from the 80s that\u2019s come back in full force. Are you a winter, summer, spring, or autumn? Are you warm or cool, bright or muted, light or deep?<\/p>\n They say knowing your colors will help you look harmonious in your clothes, and you won\u2019t have to wear as much makeup because the colors will do the work for you (the fact that this is mainly targeted at women improving their looks is a topic for another time<\/em>).<\/p>\n The problem is that some people fall neatly into these seasons and others do not. I\u2019m embarrassed to admit that I\u2019ve thrown my money at five different virtual color analysts only to have them all tell me I\u2019m in different seasons.<\/p>\n I can hear you saying, \u201cJust wear the colors you like!\u201d<\/em> Unfortunately, my brain can\u2019t seem to let me do that now that I know about color analysis. The perfectionist in me wants a matching wardrobe.<\/p>\n Astrology is a system that helps us understand ourselves and others through the movement of the planets. Perhaps it\u2019s a generational thing or just the bubble I\u2019m in, but astrology seems less taboo today than it was in the past.<\/p>\n Astrology can give you a better understanding of who you are and help you interpret your current phase of life. You may know you\u2019re a Leo, but do you know where the moon was when you were born and how that may affect your emotional needs? Or how about where Mars currently is and how that may affect your motivation levels?<\/p>\n Because of its potential to interpret future events, the quote goes: \u201cMillionaires don\u2019t have astrologers; billionaires do.\u201d<\/p>\n While astrology can be helpful if you know how to use it, using it in the wrong way can create negative stereotypes and generalizations.<\/p>\n There\u2019s another system related to astrology called Human Design<\/a> which can help you understand how to live your daily life with ease.<\/p>\n Depending on your type, you can determine whether the best use of your energy is to be an initiator of new ideas (Manifestors), to be a workhorse and get things done (Generators), to follow your many interests (Manifesting Generator), to be a guide to others (Projectors), or to simply observe the world and reflect back what you learn (Reflectors).<\/p>\n This one opened my eyes to the idea that our modern world tells everyone<\/em> they need to be initiators and workhorses, yet many people are not designed to use their energy that way (perhaps this is one reason why burnout<\/a> and chronic fatigue are so prevalent today).<\/p>\n Maybe you\u2019ve gone down the same rabbit holes as I have, or perhaps these systems have never piqued your interest.<\/p>\n Either way, we humans like to put people into boxes even when we say we don\u2019t.<\/p>\n The question I find myself asking is: What am I REALLY seeking to understand about myself through these systems?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n For me, the appeal is a set of parameters that have the potential to make my life easier.<\/p>\n If I know that I\u2019m a certain body type in the Kibbe system and my color season is True Autumn, maybe I\u2019ll waste less money on clothes that don\u2019t suit me.<\/p>\n If I know that I\u2019m an INFJ in the Myers-Briggs\u00a0Type Indicator, I can feel better about my need for alone time.<\/p>\n Perhaps all of this is to say that I\u2019m a perfectionist who wants a set of rules to follow because I think that will make my life easier.<\/p>\n But is seeking an outside system as an internal guidebook the way to go?<\/em><\/p>\n In an edition of Oliver Burkeman\u2019s newsletter titled \u2018Systems vs. life<\/a>\u2019, he writes:<\/p>\n Many of us yearn to find a system or set of rules or life philosophy that could somehow\u00a0live life for us, on our behalf, so that once we\u2019d pledged allegiance to the rulebook, we wouldn\u2019t have to face the messiness and discomfort of actually showing up, moment after moment.<\/em><\/p>\n If I really dig deep, I want these systems to give me confidence in myself when I feel unworthy.<\/strong><\/p>\n Maybe if I follow the rules and guidelines perfectly, I won\u2019t have to deal with any discomfort that makes me feel self-conscious.<\/p>\n But life doesn\u2019t work that way.<\/p>\n Becoming too reliant on an outside set of rules means we lose our personal preferences in the search for what\u2019s right or perfect.<\/p>\n The quest for self-understanding shouldn\u2019t become a pursuit of perfection.<\/p>\n So, if we can\u2019t rely on these boxes and systems to define who we are, does that mean they\u2019re completely pointless?<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think so. After all, they can help us make sense of the world and find meaning in abstract ways.<\/p>\n It\u2019s perfectly understandable to want a sense of meaning in life since no one wants to waste their time and energy. But searching for the perfect system and trying to follow it to a T might end in wasted time and energy anyway.<\/p>\n Part of the fun of life is seeing what comes to us when we\u2019re not pushing, not searching for answers<\/a>, and not trying to make things perfect. All you have to do is \u2018be\u2019 \u2013 you\u2019ll be you<\/em> either way.<\/p>\nThe rise of boxes and labels<\/h2>\n
Kibbe Body Types<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theblissfulmind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Kibbe-Types.png\")
Color Analysis<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theblissfulmind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Color-Analysis.webp\")
Astrology<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theblissfulmind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Birthchart.png\")
Human Design<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theblissfulmind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Human-Design.png\")
Why we put ourselves in boxes<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theblissfulmind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/how-we-find-meaning-4.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nAre these systems pointless?<\/h2>\n