Can you Change Your Character/Personality?
Until just recently, both laypeople and mental health professionals believed that a human's personality was set in stone by the age of thirty. Most psychologists believed that certain personality traits were hereditary, meaning that people were born a certain way and that's the way they stayed. Most also once believed that personality could not be changed, but current research shows that a person can indeed change certain personality traits. Here is how you can change your personality, no matter your age.
Figure out why you want to change your personality. Are you doing this because you want to impress someone- a potential mate or a member of your family? Making changes to your personality just to suit someone else isn't healthy for you or them. What's more, those changes will not last because they are not based on YOUR needs. On the other side of the coin, if you want to make changes because you're tired of the way you act and feel, those changes have more of a chance of becoming permanent.
Focus on changing one personality trait at a time. For instance, if you're hesitant to try a new sport, but want to branch out, then you will need to concentrate on your openness. Practice trying new things, one step at a time, and build from there. As you get the hang of it, making bigger changes to your personality will become easy.
Allow time for the changes to take hold. A complete personality change will not happen overnight; set reasonable, small goals (such as not devoting more than five minutes a day to worrying). Be patient with yourself- if you are persistent, the changes you make will be more effective and more likely to be permanent.
Hold yourself accountable for the changes you make. Having a spouse or a friend help you can keep you accountable. Ask them to let you know when you're showing the traits you wish to change, and also ask them to let you know when you're doing well. Having that feedback will motivate you, and it will also help you build a more stable relationship.
Look for other helpful sources. As great as spouses and friends are, sometimes people need more support. There are a variety of options, such as self-help books, counselors and life coaches, support groups, classes, and workshops. Having an unbiased, third-party view is a valuable tool in helping one identify legitimate reasons for making personality changes.