Over the years I’ve been haunted with the fear that as I get older I will get more crotchety, disgruntled and set in my ways. I have first hand experience with this as I’ve seen friends and family member’s most unflattering personality traits intensify as they age. Is this going to happen to me?
I exhaled a huge sigh of relief when I came across the article in The Wall Street Journal, We Get Nicer as We Age. While studies have shown that our personality naturally changes over the course of adulthood, there are five actionable steps we can take to heighten the good and lessen the bad.
- Figure out which personality traits you want to change
- Try to gain insight into your role in this pattern of behavior
- Start with baby steps by working on one change at a time
- Remain committed to making the behavioral change
- As each new behavior is integrated start working on the next
This gives me promise that as I age nice people will surround me.