#Personalitychange

Younger and older Thais alike often believe that personality is as fixed as one’s blood type—a destiny defined in childhood and cast for life. However, new research and expert consensus are turning this assumption upside down, revealing that it’s not only possible to intentionally reshape your personality, but also that such change can benefit mental health, social connection, and overall happiness. Recent reporting from CBS News highlights the story of one determined journalist who took on the challenge of self-reinvention, backed by a growing body of psychological science (CBS News). Leading researchers now urge anyone dissatisfied with aspects of themselves, such as anxiety, shyness, or disorganization, to reconsider: your personality is more flexible than you think.

A growing body of psychology suggests personality is not fixed for adults. With deliberate effort, Thais can reshape traits to boost mental health, improve social connections, and increase daily happiness. A recent CBS News piece highlights a journalist who transformed her life by expanding beyond her comfort zone, illustrating how science supports intentional change.

The case follows Olga Khazan, a journalist who wrestled with social anxiety and high neuroticism for years. Conventional therapies, medications, and yoga offered limited relief. She then conducted a year-long personal experiment to modify ingrained habits and traits. Her approach combined conversation classes, journaling, and improv comedy, pushing her beyond comfort until new behaviors felt natural. The narrative resonates with both contemporary self-improvement movements and Buddhist ideas about self-cultivation.

A wave of psychological research is challenging the idea that knowing ourselves is easy or complete. Studies suggest many aspects of our behavior and preferences are influenced by unconscious processes, making true self-insight more limited than people expect. The findings also warn that chasing inner truth too aggressively can hinder growth. For Thai audiences, these insights offer a call for humility, flexible thinking, and practical pathways to personal development that fit local culture.

A new wave of psychological research is challenging the popular wisdom embedded in age-old proverbs like “Know thyself,” suggesting that our quest for self-knowledge may be less straightforward—and far more limited—than traditionally believed. Recent findings indicate that humans are much less adept at truly knowing themselves than they think, and that an overzealous pursuit of inner truth can actually hinder personal growth rather than foster it. These insights, which have significant implications for Thai society amid a culture increasingly oriented around self-understanding and personal development, call for a more humble, flexible attitude toward the self.