That's How My Personality Defines Myself

When I reflected on my late adolescent years, I realised that I’m a Fully Functioning Person because of the person-centered theory. 

Firstly, I was open to experience because I began to accept both my positive and negative feelings and worked to improve my negative feelings such as I told myself that it is fine to pursue my ambition even if it may disappoint my mother. 

Secondly, I started to live existentially because I learned to live and appreciate the present in full, for example, I stopped looking back to the past to see if I regret choosing my happiness first or to the future to see if my actions would cause trouble to me or my loved ones. 

Thirdly, the more I paid attention and trusted my feelings, instincts and gut-reactions, the more I believed my decisions are the right ones so I was confident that I made the right decision to go to University to pursue my degree in Psychology even though my dad wanted me to study in International Medical University (IMU). Later, I was able to adapt and take risks because I adapted to the hostel life despite the challenges that I knew that I would face, for example, not getting along with housemates. 

Lastly, I felt like my life was fulfilled because I was happy with life and always on the lookout for new challenges and experiences, for example, I joined new clubs such Introverts and Circle K International (CKI) to do things I’ve never done in my life.

During my early adulthood, I went counseling thrice, firstly, for family problems; secondly, for relationship issues and thirdly, for career counseling but never understood what the counselor felt for me but the person-centered theory helped me to understand that it is empathy. Empathy is to create some type of learning experience through which clients come to live and relate differently to themselves. In particular, it is to help people develop the ‘skill’ of learning in making moment-to-moment life decisions using experiential referents. On the other hand, I used to think that the sympathy I felt for others is the same as empathy but person-centered theory taught me the accurate empathy which is to notice and mirror the feelings of the clients as well as enter and become at home in the world of the client, be sensitive to the shifting meanings and emotions of the client at any moment, live momentarily in the life of the client, and experience deep meanings but does not reveal feelings too far out of consciousness. In addition, the most important factor is to respect the emotions of clients to embrace them unconditionally.

Both my character and personality type help to live the best life. I barely care about my past, because my thoughts and desires are aimed to the present and future. If I had different personality I wouldn’t choosed to start a psychology degree that has totally changed my life and vision of the world.