2. Having different personalities

is normal.

I have come to recognise not everyone will be like me. Nor should they, that would be pretty scary.

I find myself having certain tendencies, certain leanings, and certain behaviours.

The good and the bad are all wonderfully unique and different.

The beauty of growing up is curating and developing this person you call yourself.

I’ve found that a large aspect of this has been developing an understanding of my personality and character.

Some characteristics and attributes flourish out in the open whilst others need to be developed in the quiet, in the solitude, in a very specific context.

It’s through the honest reflection of the external context that you come to know whether your unique gift of a personality can grow. The biggest pain in my opinion is that some people coast through life holding so much untapped potential; I think this occurs when one is left to decay in a context where they are unable to grow.

At some point or another having the courage to be disliked is required.

Only you know what context best serves you. I’ve definitely found myself in lots of contexts, paths in life, or in friendship groups that honestly were not conducive to a healthy future.

Saying this; leaning into complementary personalities despite how foreign they may seem is very helpful.

I sometimes believe I know better, struggle with big groups, and loud contexts aren’t fun.

Yet there is value in discomfort. We all have a frame of reference by which we come to know, like, and cultivate how we operate.

We need people to challenge us, to uplift us, and to direct us. This helps broaden the frame.

Different ideas can hurt. They don’t make sense in our heads, however, their new view on the world enables empathy and the development of functioning well alongside different people.

I want to be able to walk in a room and be able to talk to the loudest, most aggressive person and speak to them where they are. I’m not perfect don’t worry, so this very rarely happens. Yet it is a good aim to go after.

Recognising these new perspectives as the necessity for growth makes them an easier pill to swallow. Despite this, our ego can often elevate us to a status where we don’t have an open ear.

Curate time to sit, listen and reflect upon what people tell you about yourself. 

The tightrope of feeding yourself and others is one that all people tread. At different ages and stages, you will do more of one or the other.

I find tendencies of being more introverted in my life, yet, when I actually step out and help others or go to events that I wouldn’t necessarily choose I feel quite accomplished and definitely learn a lot. Similarly, when I’m unable to say no my mental health suffers. Wherever your personality resides don’t be too extreme.

I’ve daily journaled on and off for about two years and honestly have found it really helpful- spiritually, mentally, personally- just being honest and having that slowed downtime.

Sculpt the people groups, the contexts, and the time you have, in order to align your personality, where you want to be but also how you want to serve others and the world. In doing so you’ll develop a great sense of security in yourself.

From here is the springboard to achieve great things.