What exactly is a personality? Does it change throughout our life? These sorts of questions have long held the fascination of psychologists around the world and which have inspired a number of different theories about personality. Their years of research came down to this: “It is what makes you, you”.
Our personality is the combination of traits and patterns that influence our behaviour, thoughts, motivation and emotion. It drives us to consistently think, feel and behave in specific ways. And, since our personality makes us who we are, it is no wonder why it has been the source of such interest in both science and in daily life. Several different theories of personality have been proposed by different psychologists to help us gain a deeper and richer understanding of what makes each of us unique.
It is important to keep in mind that the culture in which we live is one of the most important environmental factors that shape our personalities. There has also been much research done on the link of genetics and personality. How our DNA interacts with the envionment determines what part is actually activated and expressed within an individual. There has also been biological research to understand how hormones, neurotransmitters and different areas of the brain all interact to affect our personality.
The word personality comes from the latin word persona. In the ancient world, a persona was a mask worn by an actor. It was originally used to either represent or project a specific personality trait of an actor. From there, the concept of personality has been studied for at least 2000 years beginning with Hippocrates. More recent theories of personality have been proposed with the perspective that personality was formed through early childhood experiences. And, from there, further development from our experiences, environmental and cultural perspectives.
While some external factors can influence how certain traits are expressed, personality originates within the individual. And, while a few aspects of personality may change as we grow older, our personality also tends to remain fairly consistent throughout our life.
Our personality is our friend. It is an exquisite, appropriate, complex energy tool. Our challenges and joys, the decisions we make and the consequences they create are all experiences of our personality. We choose the music we listen to, the books we read, the experiences we seek, all with our personality traits. And, as well, how outgoing and reliable we are may be just as important to how well we age as our exercise and eating habits. Our personality is the driving force behind our health-related behaviour.
As our personality refers to individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving, it is important to understand how unique we all are as individuals. No personalities perceive life in exactly the same way. Each has unique perceptions, values and behaviours. All of our senses – body, intuition, intellect, emotion, sensory perceptions and multi-sensory perceptions make up our personality.
Here are 4 personality types:
- Sanguine – described primarily as being highly talkative, enthusiastic, active and sociable. Tend to be more extroverted and enjoy being part of a crowd.
- Choleric – very extroverted, independent, decisive, goal-oriented and ambitious. Combined with their dominant, result-oriented outlook they make natural leaders.
- Melancholic – tend to be analytical, detail-oriented and deep thinkers and feelers. They are introverted and try to avoid being singled out in a crowd. They are self-reliant individuals who are thougtful and reserved. They often strive for perfection within themselves and their surroundings, which leads to tidy and detail-oriented behaviour.
- Phlegmatic – tend to be relaxed, peaceful, quiet and easy-going. They are sympathetic and care about others, yet they tend to hide their emotions.
Before we can define who we are, we also have to understand our personality traits. We all know of the negative ones we have come across at times, but here are some positive attributes:
- being honest and responsible – for your actions and behaviours
- being adaptable and compatible – able to get along well with others
- being driven and determined – to help you keep going no matter what situation arises
- being compassionate and understanding – to relate well to others
- being patient – a virtue and a good personality trait
- being couragous – helps you do what is right in tough situations
- being loyal – a good quality to possess, making others trust you
There are also some personality types that are related to biological influences, including:
- Type A – perfectionist, impatient, competitive, work-obsessed, achievement-oriented, aggressive, often stressed
- Type B – low stress, even-tempered, flexible, creative, adaptable to change, patient, tendency to procrastinate
- Type C – highly conscientious, perfectionist, struggle to reveal emotions
- Type D – feelings of worry, sadness, irritability, pessimistic outlook, negative self-talk, anti-social
When psychologists try to determine the kind of personality one has they look at 5 characteristis: whether someone is an extravert, whether they are agreeable, whether they are conscientious, whether they are emotionally stable and whether they are open to experience. They also found that being responsible, dependable, organized and persistent are keys to success.
Our personality can change and develop over the course of a lifetime. Through our experiences we learn more about ourselves and our unique strengths, weaknesses and preferences. As we develop as humans, so does our personalities. Our personalities also have a connection to our health and alot to do with our coping skills with stress and life challenges.
Our compulsive, obsessive and addictive behaviours each show the fightened parts of our personality. Our personality also has parts that are kind, patient, generous, loving and trusting. Each part or aspect of our personality brings with it conflicting goals, perceptions and values. Until we know all the parts of our personality, we will intend one thing and do something else.
Becoming aware of our different parts of our personality allows us to choose what we will do and say in each circumstance. Most of us do not think of our personality as having different parts. But, until we come to terms with the different aspects our personality, we will experience them through the consequences which they create, such as damaging relationships or pushing people away.
As being upbeat and positive can have a positive affect on those around us, so can our negativity. For, if having a bad day, try not to share it with the world. Changing our attitude can change the environment we are in. Being a more pleasant person to be around can change everyone’s day, including our own.
By gaining more insight into our internal experiences, we can make sense of our own thoughts and behaviours. Important to remember, our personality is set by no one, but us. It encompasses the actions we take and the decisions we make. We may not be able to change our personality type, but we can change aspects of it by taking determined, active steps to become a more balanced person. A new hobby can assist with becoming more creative, joining a group or team sport can assist in improved social skills, arts and crafts help create patience and volunteering can help us become more caring. Even by reading a book on a certain topic can help expand our knowledge and growth.
Understanding personality traits is a great way to expand upon our self-discovery journey. Invest some time to take a good look at yourself from within and create the best version of who you truly are. Greatness resides within you, awaiting expression.
