Can you change your personality?

The idea that our personality is determined at birth is deeply ingrained in our culture. However, science refutes this notion: our character traits develop naturally over time and can be changed through conscious actions.

Changing your personality doesn’t mean losing your identity, but learning to think, feel, and act differently in order to thrive better. So how do you start this process? Response to an article with psychologist Shannon Sawyer-Zavala Cypost,

What is personality?

Personality is your specific ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Do you prefer to improvise or plan ahead? These traits can be summarized into five broad categories, known as the “Big Five”: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience.

Contrary to what one might think, these traits do not define your tastes, your values, or your humor. Rather, they determine how you react to situations. Modifying these traits means adjusting your reactions, without changing your essence.

Is change really possible?

The answer is yes. Studies show that personality traits naturally change with age. For example, over time individuals typically become more conscientious and caring, while experiencing less negative emotions. But the process can be sped up: With deliberate effort, it’s possible to see significant changes in just a few months.

Let’s take a concrete example: If you want to become more reliable, start by thinking about the importance of punctuality. Then practice simple behaviors like setting reminders or planning your day in advance. These small adjustments, repeated over and over again, turn into permanent habits and your personality evolves.

tools to bring about change

Personality transformation is based on two pillars: Change your thoughts: Identify the beliefs that limit your growth. For example, if you think that “other people only think about themselves,” this thought may slow down your social interactions. Replace it with more open-mindedness to encourage different behaviors.

Test new behaviors: By changing your actions, you change the way others interact with you. For example, try expressing a difficulty to a coworker. You may be surprised by their support, which will boost your confidence.