How chill are you?
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Last updated on Apr 18, 2023
It can be hard not to lose your cool in tough situations, even for Zen masters. Let's face it: no matter how cool and collected we try to stay, there are things that happen that make it impossible for us not to totally blow our tops.
Part of it is the way that we as human beings live today. Being constantly connected to each other thanks to the internet is great, but it also makes it a truly tough thing to ever unplug and get the time to yourself in order to maintain your emotional equilibrium.
If you struggle to keep yourself from losing your temper and meditation doesn't work for you, maybe it's time to examine the sources of your stress.
That's what we hope to accomplish with this quick and free Zen personality test. It's a visual optical illusion, which means all you need to do is look at an image and read some results.
It shouldn't take you more than a couple of minutes at the most, and when you come away you'll understand whether you're a person who is naturally calm, a person who is always on the verge of bugging out, or if you're just a regular old ball of stress.
To get to the bottom of just how Zen you are, follow the instructions for this personality quiz below.
It couldn't be easier (unless we somehow managed to feed you this test into your brain as you sleep, which is much creepier sounding than it's meant to be). Look at the image below and make a mental note of what you see first.
Once you've done that, scroll down to find out what this personality test reveals about how Zen — i.e., naturally calm, cool, and collected— you are.
If you saw...
1. The Cat
If you saw the cat first when you looked at this image, you aren't a naturally relaxed person, but it takes a lot to make you angry.
If anything, the stresses of everyday life tend to get you more energized, meaning you will go as hard as you can for as long as you can... but when you crash it is tremendous.
You don't need to try to meditate, you just need to find a healthy outlet so you're less prone to burning out your energy on stress. Working out is a great option, and it will help bolster your immune system and keep you more focused.
2. The Box
If you saw the box first when you looked at this image, you are a person who gets angry when you get stressed.
You're as nice as can be when it comes to most days of the week, but when you get stressed out or overworked, you can't help it! You naturally snap and snipe at every single person in your orbit.
It's natural to lash out when we're feeling stressed, but you need to be careful about what you say to the people who matter most to you. Instead of hurting them with your words, bite your tongue and remove yourself from the situation.
3. The Stars
If you saw the stars first when you looked at this image, you are naturally a particularly calm person.
In fact, when you find yourself in stressful situations with others, they might even get frustrated with you because of how chill you stay in the face of even serious stressors.
Don't let anyone else belittle you for handling difficult situations in a way that best suits your needs. They aren't as Zen as you are — and that's their problem, not yours!
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Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer and the Senior Editor of Pop Culture at Newsweek with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, and true crime.