Smart Senior

Are you tired of being the neighborhood crank? Do you feel that you are bound by history, and that your inherited personality traits are carved in stone?
Interesting questions. For a long time, we were taught, or came to believe, that we had no control over our personality traits. We are who we are. It’s true, we do have genetic parameters, but if you were a lump of clay, would you rather be a mud puddle, or something formed into an exquisite sculpture?
Is it too late for you? After all, if you believe that you have no control over your “inner curmudgeon,” you don’t have to make an effort to change. It’s up to you. New data reveals that you can change, or at least alter, a few of your “less desirable” personality traits.
It’s not going to happen overnight, and you are going to have to make an effort. Start small, the experts say; focus on one little thing that you would like to change.
Are you the person who is always late? Do you live in your own head and exclude social niceties? Should other people always have to make allowances for your behavior?
Be brave enough to experiment. Set your internal alarm a little earlier and reward yourself for getting places on time. The head thing; be a little more outgoing. Look to a role model and try copying their behavior. My husband, for example, is an extrovert, he knows the name and the social history of everyone he meets, within minutes. Me, the introvert, might smile and wave, but will continue on my way. Unfriendly, not necessarily, but often lost in my own head. Do I wish I could change this introverted personality trait? You betcha, but it isn’t as easy as you might think.
It takes practice. Try keeping a log. Track your progress. Record how people respond to the new you and see how it makes you feel.
So, are you ready to stop being the neighborhood curmudgeon? Can you arrive on time. Can you call the checkout lady at the store by name or ask about her family? Smile more. You will be glad you did.