The Animal You See First In This Visual Test Reveals Your True Personality
We all have a core personality that centers all of the rest of what makes us who we are.
There is a reason we all love taking a personality test. It isn't because we are self-centered or self-obsessed, or painfully desperate for other people to know the real us, either. It's because who we are as people is constantly evolving. The animal you see first in this visual test reveals your true personality — the central part of your nature that makes you who you are.
Research shows aspects of our personalities continue to change and shift as we age. While some things about us may always be true, there are certain aspects of who we are that will always be in flux. Many of the personality traits you consider integral to who you really have formed unconsciously over the course of your life. Sure, there are things you've actively worked on about yourself. Perhaps you want to be more patient. Perhaps you struggle with speaking your mind.
However, the conscious ways we shape our personalities pale in comparison with how the unconscious patterns we perceive in the world shape us. Whether we are aware of it or not, seemingly invisible factors can account for huge portions of our personality type and our identity.
The animal you see first in this visual test reveals your true personality.
Take a look at the image below and carefully note the first animal (and only the first) that you see first. Then, scroll down to see what the animal you chose says about your true self.
1. If you saw the cat first
If you saw the cat first, your true personality is all about balance. You savor your time to yourself, but you also know and value the importance of spending time with the group.
You are a huge proponent of exploring the unknown and jumping into action, but you know that you must consider things carefully before you make that uncertain leap. Your life is about shining a light on the things that usually reside only in the darkness.
2. If you saw the beaver first
If you saw the beaver first, your true personality is defined by your creative spirit. You don't let other people's ideas about your creativity impact what you put out into the world. Your confidence makes you a great asset on any type of team you might join, because you know that anything can be accomplished with cooperation.
You are a person who is not only self-motivated, but who finds motivating others to be a meaningfully driving force in your life.
3. If you saw the horse first
If you saw the horse first, your true personality is that of a soul that glides through life with power and ease. You may sometimes underestimate just how much you are capable of, but you shouldn't! You've got drive, grit, and determination and you've got them physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
You must remember to trust your intuition. Listen to that powerful voice inside of you and you will never be led astray as you leap over the many hurdles life throws your way.
4. If you saw the dog first
If you saw the dog first, your true personality is defined by a keen sense of awareness, not just of yourself and your own surroundings, but of others as well. You are exceptionally devoted to the people you love, and when you give your heart, you give it unconditionally.
Seeing the dog first might mean that you have a fierce protective spirit, but it also means that you know the importance of cooling your jets and remembering to find time to play when you need to recharge. Yours is a life of love, energy, and excitement.
5. If you saw the octopus first
If the first thing you saw when you looked at this picture was an octopus, your true personality is driven by fluidity, creativity, and intelligence. You are a person whose life will force you to maneuver through many difficult spaces.
Thankfully, since you've seen the octopus, you don't only know how to make it through to the other side, but how you can do it with style, ease and grace of heart. You thrive when you are given a challenge, and even when you're in the dark, you know how to turn inward to seek the light.
6. If you saw the butterfly first
If you saw the butterfly when you looked at the picture, chances are your true personality is deeply mysterious. The butterfly does not emerge until its metamorphosis is complete. You are a person who thrives on mystery and fully accepts the fact that change, even as extreme a change as death, is necessary in order to achieve fullness of self.
You are sparkly and you are kind. People are drawn to you, thinking it's your fragile beauty that appeals to them, when the truth is that you're just much more in tune with the past than anyone else around you could ever be.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a freelance writer, editor, former Senior Editor of Pop Culture at Newsweek, and former Senior Staff Writer for YourTango. Her bylines have appeared on Fatherly, Bustle, SheKnows, Jezebel, and many others.