In this post we’ll be exploring the Sensory Type know as The Seeker in more detail (I suggest reading this overview of the sensory types first, if you haven’t already).
The name of this type, and the image I’ve chosen to go with the post, should give you a good instinctual feel for what the sensory needs of a seeker are.
As I said in the overview, in a word, the seeker wants MORE! More flavour, more texture, more sound, brighter colours; generally a more intense experience of life. They enjoy sensations because their brains have a high threshold for them, so can take, and delight in, strong sensory stimulation. Things that would leave an avoider a jibbering wreck desperately running for the hills, will have the seeker using all of their lung power if given the instruction to: ‘scream if you want to go faster!’
Of course, as I explained in the overview, you aren’t necessarily going to be the same sensory type across all of your senses. In most cases I’m either an avoider or a sensor, but when it comes to the visual I’m a fully fledged seeker. My eyes LOVE input. My home is covered in visual stimuli (some might call it crap…) the idea of bare white walls fills me with absolute dread, and as a result, minimalism is definitely not something I will ever embrace!
On the other hand, a friend of mine (with impeccable design taste) has discovered that, by removing almost all of the sensory stimuli in her home, and keeping it to a very monotone, minimalist colour scheme, she feels calmer and far less overwhelmed. Were we to swap places in some weird sensory house swap, I dread to think what sort of a state we’d both be in after just a few hours! Vive la difference.
Each of the sensory types has its positive and …. let’s say, not so positive aspects. I refrain from using the ‘ – word’ because calling a personal trait negative is very damning, and it’s relative of course too.
If you are a seeker who cooks for others, you might discover that you get lots of complaints about there being too much spice in a dish. The perfume or aftershave that you adore splashing on every morning, may well have the avoider, on the bus to work, reaching for a sick bag. In these types of scenarios, whose sensory needs take priority?
When I was making chocolate I found that some of my customers found my flavours much too subtle for their liking, whereas to me, what they requested was far too strong. Now I did personalise some products to that sort of degree, for some of my regular clients, but at some point you just have to realise that you truly can’t please all of the people all of the time! It turns out that’s because we are all experiencing the world in very different ways. Which is a fantastic thing to remember, particularly if you run a small business and ever get into the comparison game. There really is room for everyone, you just need to find the tribe who your output appeals to. Heh!
You can see why there is so much room for friction in the home and work place. Trying to keep all of the sensory types happy in shared spaces is no easy task; perhaps it’s impossible, but understanding the reasons why, will help us to navigate these differences with much less frustration and intolerance.
