Today we’ll begin to meet the quieter temperaments, beginning with the deep-feeling “melancholics”.

These folks are relationship-oriented introverts.

• Energized and inspired in a quiet, relaxed, reflective environment
• Great “big picture” vision
• Need to know why and “what if…”
• Crave imaginative expression
• Love an opportunity to invent or create
• Need time to process information and generate connections
• Intuitive encouragers

Artistic melancholics tend to spend a lot of time inside their own heads…and the alternate universe in there is astounding! (I tell you this from personal experience. *wink*) They DO like people, and it’s not entirely accurate to think of them as shy since they may have a healthy self-image and quite a lot to say, but they usually find large group interaction stressful. That’s not to say they don’t like to socialize, but they usually prefer routine and solitude and need generous doses of quiet to balance “social noise”. They tend to be perfectionists, so encouragement and approval is essential. Trust them to surprise you by exceeding expectations, but realize that quality takes time.

To teach them effectively, you must:

• Give them time to mull things over and consider how disciplines interrelate
• Invite them to contribute to group efforts, but do not force group projects
• Let them experiment with different forms of artistic expression
• Let them invent and/or create as a way to reflect what they’ve learned
• Correct and advise, but do it gently! These perfectionists wither under harsh criticism or false praise

Nurtured in a godly environment, people with this personality type are natural nurturers who use their rich imaginations to create beauty and enrich the lives of others. As children, they may be like butterflies–flourishing in a rather small cocoon, but don’t worry. They’ll come out when they’re ready, and they’ll fly beautifully.