Supportive traits are like great personal assistants that help us navigate through life’s challenges more smoothly. From handling day-to-day responsibilities to tackling complex issues, we often and consciously rely on these trusted aides—our supportive traits—knowing that they are capable and reliable at what they do. Ultimately, living in the absence of our supportive traits is akin to losing both our arms; we would struggle tremendously to function without them.

Your habits shape your identity,
and your identity shapes your habits.

James Clear

As our supportive traits come naturally to us, we tend to employ them effortlessly, as if we are writing and drawing with our dominant hand. Therefore, we often take our supportive traits for granted, not realizing how valuable they are to someone of a different archetype. If left unchecked, we might even run the risk of overusing them, preventing other parts of ourselves from flourishing.

Like our dominant traits, our supportive traits are simply facets of our personalities. Whether they are strengths or weaknesses is entirely dependent on the way we utilize them. If we cultivate and develop our supportive traits well, they can become valuable additions to our toolbox of super strengths. However, if we use them in an unhealthy manner, the same traits will ultimately lead to our undoing.

When it comes to conveying ideas, few can inspire like Luminaries. Their speech flows like a well-composed symphony, weaving together fragments of information into a cohesive whole. Their talent lies in their ability to boil complex concepts down to simple yet profound insights, making any subject accessible to the masses. It is no surprise then that Luminaries are often seen as eloquent orators, able to speak in a way that never fails to enchant their audience.

Although it is admirable to sound deep and inspiring, it amounts to nothing if the message itself does not make proper sense. Luminaries tend to share their assumptions as truth, often jumping to conclusions without verifying the facts. Sometimes, they might not even understand what they are saying. So, if asked to explain themselves logically, they might struggle immensely. In other words, empty lessons wrapped in flowery words are pointless even if they are pleasing to the ear.

Luminaries who are not aware of this are bound to face a rude awakening. Believing that their advice is highly sought after, some Luminaries may constantly seek to offer their thoughts and opinions to others. While their insights might be encouraging to others initially, sooner or later, they may start to sound like a broken record. Most people can only take so much fluff and motivation before they get annoyed, eventually tuning out Luminaries altogether.

There is nothing quite as warm as the soul of a Luminary. Like the sun, they radiate light onto others, expecting nothing in return. Luminaries are likely to lend others a hand, even if it means going out of their way to do so. In fact, they go beyond that, inspiring kindness in others by touching their souls. With compassion in one hand and wisdom in the other, people often perceive Luminaries as angels in disguise.

Having said that, for some Luminaries, this selfless demeanor may actually be a facade concealing an entire ocean of hidden intentions. Although they seem altruistic on the outside, their goodwill might turn out to be a front for their need for approval. This could be the unseen motivation that is compelling Luminaries to help for all the wrong reasons. Unaware of their own intention, Luminaries may spend their entire lives behind a mask, deceiving everyone including themselves.

Aside from that, if Luminaries do not look out for their own well-being, their spark of compassion will eventually burn out. Sometimes, they may fail to notice that they have reached their limits, running the risk of becoming an empty shell of a person. This might cause them to shut down, hindering their ability to help others. To keep their mental and physical health intact, Luminaries must understand that self-care is not a selfish want. Rather, it is an essential need.

Every relationship has its ups and downs, with periods of tranquility and moments of conflict. Luminaries understand this, and thus, using their intuition as their guiding beacon, they often help others navigate their rocky relationships toward peaceful waters. Their innate ability to untangle intricate social problems is a gift they use to mend fractured relationships. Truly, the spark of Luminaries is bright enough to bring others together even in the darkest of times.

However, Luminaries may sometimes hold back their words, fearing that they would disrupt the harmony of the group by being too honest. In doing so, they might be careful with what they say to avoid hurtful topics. Little do they know, they are only delaying the problem by omitting painful details, as the issue will inevitably resurface in the future. Thus, Luminaries who beat around the bush may be indirectly transforming small conflicts into huge disasters.

At the extreme, some Luminaries may choose to be neutral about everything, hoping for conflicts to somehow resolve themselves. They may believe they are promoting peace by deferring to consensus. But the truth is, this is just an act of cowardice. By failing to hold a stance when necessary, they may never cultivate a clear moral conscience. If this goes on, people will eventually notice their lack of integrity, and they will be seen as nothing more than hypocrites.

Thus far, we have explored both the Luminary's dominant and supportive traits. In our jargon, these traits are known as one's heroic traits. Think about it, don't we all look like heroes when we put these traits to use? Not just wannabe heroes, but real ones—those who are truly powerful yet unimpressed with their own abilities.

Superhuman strength and the ability to fly are awesome superpowers that we all wished we had. But Superman doesn't pride himself in any of those abilities. To him, using those powers to save the world is just another day on the job. Similarly, even though we are great at our dominant and supportive traits, we do not find them the least bit amazing. From our perspective, there is nothing special about these mundane things that we do every day.

That said, as heroic as our traits may seem, no hero in the world is perfect. Even the most powerful heroes, such as Naruto, Thor, or Wonder Woman, have their own flaws and weaknesses. However, that does not invalidate them as heroes; it only makes them all the more admirable. The same goes for our own heroic traits. They may not be perfect, but our strive to improve them is what sets us apart.

I am not a hero. I just did what any
decent person would have done.

Miep Gies

When our heroic traits bask in the light, they will inevitably cast shadows—traits that we tend to neglect. Our shadows are foreign to us, as they are the complete opposite of our natural traits. Because we fear what we don't understand, most of us will subconsciously push away or suppress these parts of ourselves. Unfortunately, if we allow the fear of failure to overpower our minds, these suppressed shadows will eventually swallow us whole.

Nevertheless, shadows are not our weaknesses. They are simply parts of ourselves that we are unfamiliar with, and therefore, would rather avoid. But if we harness our shadows, they will eventually become our hidden strengths. It may be daunting at first to explore these dark and unknown parts of ourselves. However, with a curious mind and a compassionate heart, there's nothing to be afraid of. With that said, let us venture deep into the shadows within us.

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Shadows Within [Luminary]