Do you have a “  type  ”? Do you always find yourself with a certain type of partner? Whether we like it or not, most of us have a certain ‘type’ of person we usually date or are attracted to. It doesn’t need to be physical. It might be something about their energy, the way they hold themselves or the way they command attention when they enter the room. Whatever it is, we find ourselves drawn to this ‘type’ of person. If you’re lucky enough to go for the lovely person with a gentle soul ‘type’, then it’s probably unlikely you care about the fact you have a ‘type’. ‘Type’ awareness comes to our attention because nine out of the last ten relationships were really not that great!

    The reason why we    wind    up with the same ‘type’ or find ourselves in a familiar relationship dynamic dates back to our earliest relationships. As a young child, we developed defense mechanisms in order to help us cope with fear, pain or frustrating circumstances in our environment. These defenses were a key contributing factor to how we formed opinions of ourselves, others and relationships. Without realizing, we unconsciously seek out people whose behavior support these opinions and beliefs. If we have formed negative ideas about ourselves, for example “I’m unlovable” or “I’m unattractive,” we seek out people who reinforce these unconscious beliefs, even if in reality we don’t like it.

    So how do you stop yourself from falling for the usual ‘type’? First, start from working out why you are attracted to your ‘type’. Spend some time with yourself to try and discover your deep-seated beliefs that contributed to attracting your partners. When you invest time in exploring your early attachment patterns, you can start to identify some of the areas that lead you to develop a love for your ‘type’. Next, look at your relationship history. What negative traits, patterns or similarities do all your ex-partners share? Make comparisons, but don’t forget the more subtle emotional aspects. How did they treat you? How did they make you feel?

    Understanding what draws you to your ‘type’ takes some time. Rushing out to find a new, perfect partner that’s the total opposite of your usual type isn’t going to be the answer to your ‘type’ dilemma. Although this may be refreshing for a short period of time, it is unlikely to turn out to be a long-lasting relationship. 21 What does the word “type” mean in this passage?

       Two of the wealthiest African-American men in America live in Chicago, with its large African-American middle-class community. Because both men are named Johnson, their names and businesses are sometimes each confused with the other, aggravating both men. Each is justifiably proud of the business he has created for himself and the position it gives him in African-American cultural, social, and business life.

       George Johnson is the founder of Johnson Products Company, which manufactures cosmetics. The JohnsonProducts Company is one of the largest African-American owned companies in the United States, and it is also one of the most successful. Its founders and its corporate officers are proud of the company’s position. They also feel a certain pride because the Johnson Products Company was among the first companies to realize that African-Americans inAmerica were a distinct market group, with distinct needs, and with the affluence to buy and support products aimed at meeting their needs. The Johnson Products cosmetics are all designed for the needs of African-Americans.

       John Johnson is the founder of Johnson Publishing Company, the largest African-American owned publishing company in the nation. As an office boy at Supreme Life Insurance, Johnson was assigned to maintain a file of news clippings about the achievements of African-Americans, and he noticed that there was no national newspaper or magazine devoted to coverage of African-American news. He borrowed the printing equipment at the life insurance offices, and he raised money for advertisements by mortgaging his mother’s furniture. He knew he was going to make it when $6,000 worth of subscriptions poured in for his first issue. His monthly Negro Digest made him wealthy enough to launch a second publication, Ebony, which was even more successful than his first. Ebony has one and a third million subscribers. In fact, the company had been worth more than $60 million because the company has branched into real estate, banking, and insurance. The officers and owners are proud that this success has come from serving the African-American community, once again proving its power as a market. Life magazine, which Ebony followed in its use of large photographs, has ceased publication, but Ebony keeps rolling off the presses every week. In a word, Johnson Publishing Company is an iconic part of American and African American history .