I’m sure we’ve all heard people and, in many circumstances, ourselves say “This is how I am” or “That’s just me as a person,” sometimes going as far as to blame our astrological signs to justify our actions. We live in a world where we see personality as a fixed trait, and we categorize people based on this, knowingly or unknowingly. We have all grown up with individual experiences, beliefs, and our brand of personality that defines or limits us. But what if I told you that personality is more fluid than perceived?
Neuroscience is here to change your mind and tell a compelling story about how personality isn’t permanent. Psychological studies suggest that this ability to change personalities stems from the brain’s remarkable ability to rewire itself. Our brains can adapt to new routines and experiences if we train them well enough! We can observe this superpower in the most minor instances like learning to take things slow, developing a new skill, working on handling our emotions better, and doing anything different. We are literally restructuring our brain functionality. This phenomenon is called neuroplasticity, and I recently became super intrigued to learn how this works. I particularly liked learning about functional neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to move functions from a damaged part of the brain to the undamaged part of the brain! Your brain can heal itself, grow and let go of repetitive and toxic patterns if you’re willing to put in the effort.
What is this effort you ask? You can do a tsunami of things! From learning a new musical instrument, journaling, practicing self-affirmation, creating art, goal setting, and re-parenting your inner child (because you do deserve the best), the list is endless.
So, what does this mean? It means that we do not have to be labeled or defined in a certain way that can limit our cognitive growth. We don’t have to be a ‘I’m so bad at saying no to people’ or a ‘I won’t be able to figure this out’ person anymore. We can choose not to be defined by these narratives and be open to editing ourselves to be the best version possible! Such practices have contributed to self-growth and caused shifts in the personalities of people.
Being present in the moment, acknowledging the highs and lows, and finding a way to learn from our patterns can help us thrive as individuals. Proactive actions can truly lead to meaningful changes in life. In conclusion, remember that you must train your brain, not the other way around. Embrace a new normal and break free from self-perceptions and self-criticism. Understanding your personality can be evolving, healing and a real superpower!
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