Know Thyself

Are personalities prone to change with age and novel experiences, or are our underlying traits stable but our behaviours that change? I've always thought that I tended more towards extroversion as a young girl but lately, have identified more with the stories of individuals in the book 'Quiet'. Perhaps I withdrew inwards as I aged, or maybe the perception of being extroverted was just me longing to be the type of person that I desired.

Recently, I took the Myer Briggs personality test again and came out as INFJ. I usually take such test results with a pinch of salt but the description was really accurate. I've always felt like I was torn between two worlds, and a little bit bipolar. For example, I enjoy going out and socialising with friends but too many of such days in a week tires me out and I retreat like a snail into its shell. Yet too few of such days makes me depressed. I may come across as aloof but crave for social approval and love. I may be a dreamer but am able to take concrete steps to make my dreams come true. Case in point, my crazy decision to quit my deeply unsatisfying job, wipe out my bank account and change careers. While it may seem spontaneous, it was carefully considered and planned out. Finally, I am reserved, but hold strong opinions about certain matters and can have passionate arguments about what I stand for. 

And now that I understand a little bit more about myself, I feel a little less alienated and more appreciative of who I have become in spite of all the emotional baggage from being misunderstood. In learning more about my personality type, I am also forever thankful to being able to stumble upon the idea of this new profession and the opportunity to make the leap. It is definitely suited to my personality and my values. Let's hope the passion continues burning brightly in the years to come.