Healthy LivingWhen you haven't seen a friend for a long time, you may notice that something has changed in him/her. However, it's not about the physical, but rather the speech, views, and attitudes. From here the question arises, is it true that someone's personality can change?
It is undeniable that personality is one of the things that can make you close to someone. That is, when this condition changes, you can either become further away or closer to that person.
Can personality change?
You may have heard that human character or personality is innate and cannot be changed.
In fact, personality is something that can change over time, either for the better or for the worse.
So, don't be surprised if you find a friend who used to have a sanguine character type who is now melancholic, and vice versa.
A person's personality can change by itself or intentionally. This means that when someone realizes that there is a side of their personality that is not good, they can try to change it.
Factors that influence a person's personality
Personality has indeed been formed since you were a child. However, over time, the personality formed during childhood can change due to the following factors.
1. Experience
As you grow older, you will have gone through various problems, achievements, and other life experiences. Without realizing it, these life experiences will shape your personality.
For example, someone who has experienced a major failure in his career may be more careful when choosing his new job.
2. Environment
A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology states that a person's personality can be influenced by their environment, such as home, office, or other places where you often spend time.
For example, living in a supportive environment will make you more confident and optimistic. Conversely, living in an environment full of conflict can make someone more anxious about something.
3. Health conditions
Not only mental disorders, physical problems can also change a person's personality.
A study in Psychological Medicine shows that someone with a chronic illness tends to have unstable emotions and is more withdrawn from those closest to them.
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with being more patient when dealing with someone with a chronic illness.
The reason is, this personality change may be caused by a decrease in quality of life as one of the impacts of the disease.
4. Education
Another factor that can change a person's personality is education. When you gain new knowledge, you can have a different perspective. As a result, your reaction to something can change.
Education here is not always formal education. You can gain new knowledge by attending seminars, workshops, or language classes.
For example, the experience of attending a language class can make you more confident when speaking in front of many people.
5. Purpose of life
Are your current goals still the same as when you were a child? Changes in life goals and ideals can actually change someone's personality.
When you have a specific life goal, you will develop habits that support your efforts to achieve that goal.
For example, someone who aspires to become a psychologist might try to grow empathy so that it will be easier to understand their patients in the future.
Meanwhile, prospective lawyers will try harder to understand state laws and their application in society.
Personality is something that can change over time. That means, you have the opportunity to improve it if you feel that there is something that needs to be evaluated about yourself.
However, don't hesitate to maintain your personality if something tries to change it in a bad direction.
If you feel that you have a problematic personality, don't be ashamed to consult a psychologist.