"My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened." - Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592)

A lot of our anxieties and fears have no sound basis. The rest, when examined for what they are, can usually be set aside. In small percentage of cases where they cannot, they should not dominate our lives. If it's something we can do nothing about, let's spend our time thinking about good and pleasant things in our lives, and move on in a peaceful and contented state of mind.

"There is great beauty in going through life without anxiety or fear. Half our fears are baseless, and other half discreditable." - Christian Bovee (1820-1904)

It's never too late to start eliminating worry.

This temperament style loves status quo and resists change. Under pressure Watchers sleep in to avoid situation at hand and hope that it will eventually disappear. This avoidance behavior is similar to Ostrich burying its head in sand. They dislike pressure and will do almost anything to avoid it. Due to their need to please others and promote harmony, Watchers use tactic of sidestepping controversial issues by postponing or delaying decisions. When pressured, they will become extremely stubborn, dig their heels in and refuse to budge. Because they are uncomfortable with direct confrontation their behavior is often perceived as passive-aggressive. Watchers dislike taking personal responsibility and are apt to make excuses or blame others. The downside of this behavior is that they seldom learn from their mistakes. This temperament has a tendency to play role of martyr and indulge in self-pity. Watchers are quiet, unassuming, people watchers. Their biggest fears are disharmony, change, infringement on home life and pressuring others.

Because they attempt to blend in and avoid attracting attention to themselves, Watchers are most difficult temperament style to identify physically. They have a stoic expression and are difficult to read. They often have a pear-shaped body and due to their sedentary nature they tend to gain weight. When you think of a Watcher think of Jimmy Carter, Bob Newhart, Gerald Ford and Jean Stapleton.

Watcher’s Positive Traits

Stable – Tolerant – Supportive – Harmonious – Patient - Agreeable

Watcher’s Negative Traits

Indecisive – Passive – Undermining – Uninvolved – Selfish – Possessive

Watcher Behaviors

1. Avoids holding direct eye contact. 2. Soft spoken and patient 3. Listens with genuine interest. 4. Prefers to follow rather than lead. 5. Dislikes friction and conflict. 6. Can be stubborn and snoopy. 7. Tends to offer excuses when things go wrong.

How Watchers Can Improve

1. Speed up everything you do. 2. Speak your mind and don’t be afraid of disagreements. 3. Stand up for yourself and be more assertive. 4. Accept credit, compliments and praise. 5. Avoid tendency to “smother love.” 6. Don’t try quite so hard to please people. 7. Learn to make decisions and stop procrastinating.