Here are four outstanding O’s. Are any of these obviously (or more obscurely) you? Our archetypes are universal, but that does not by any stretch of the imagination mean our lives are all the same. The fact is, as Carolyn Myss tells us in her book Archetypes, “Knowing these patterns in us opens the door into a hidden realm… and a way of meeting yourself, perhaps for the first time.” O or no, you are a true  Original. So, Onward!

Old Soul
“Old King Cole was a merry old soul and a merry old soul was he.” Truth is, whether you are a child with wisdom beyond your years or an Old Soul who still looks much younger than her years (think of 85-year-old Maya Angelou), you have an almost hauntingly wise quality — as if you have somehow “been here before.” Your perspective of the world is vast. You go more with the flow, perhaps because in an incarnation or two before this one you learned which stuff not to sweat, and brought that experience along. Your archetypal families are the Spiritual and Visionary. You are preteens and teachers and housewives and poets. Think of Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence, whose gifts and poise (even when tripping over her own gown) leave us dazzled, especially considering that she’s only 22.

Officer
If you are an Officer, by nature you are rooted in the families of  the Advocate (of the law)  and the Caregiver. You are a natural when serving and being an agent for the laws of the people. Whether in uniform or not, when it comes to stepping up to this level of sacrifice, authority, and responsibility, you are at ease in your own skin. Carry on.

Organizer
If this is you, you’re busy making order out of chaos. You have a place for everything and everything in its place. Your kin are often the Visual and Intellectual families. You don’t need to be anal-retentive to respect organization and clarity , and besides, these qualities aid you in transforming ideas into reality. You’re not a fan of confusion, and won’t be featured on Hoarders or  Clutterers anytime soon. Others would give their piggy bank (if only they could find it) to be able to tackle projects that feel insurmountable and move ahead into their dreams. This is where you are at your comfiest. Welcome home.

Optimist
The Optimist is often from the Caring and Creative Families. You have a knack for performing, and for making lemonade out of lemons. No matter how dark the night, you know something good will come of it. You’ll find a way. And you are rarely proven wrong. Because of this trait, you don’t give up easily. Think of Winnie the Pooh, who hasn’t left print since 1926. Or the iconic optimist Betty White, born four years before Pooh and telling us still, “I’m a big, cockeyed optimist. I try to accentuate the positive as opposed to the negative.”

You’re my kinda girl, Betty. Let’s all bring out the cockeyed Optimist in us and let the good times roll.

With grace and gratitude,
Cristina

Cristina Carlino is the founder of Archetypes, Inc. Each week she will reveal a new letter of the Alphabet of Archetypes. Stop back often to discover aspects of yourself you didn’t know existed.