Recording my progress for three weeks during which time I tried to overcome my weakness of being an introvert was an interesting experience. In fact, I have started entertaining the idea of keeping a journal. During my first week, my efforts were somewhat fruitless. I did not feel that getting out of being an introvert was worth my efforts. According to chapter 9 of Introduction to Psychology, any effort needs a positive reinforcement (Roberts, 2007). Therefore I decided to positively reinforce my efforts every time I managed to get out of myself and mix with other people. So, during week 2, every time I spent learning something from somebody new, I would positively reinforce myself by running to the library and checking out a movie. I would only do this if I made an effort to know somebody new. Therefore, getting a movie became a consequence of my behavior. The third week went so smoothly that I realized my hesitation at meeting new people and knowing them was practically vanishing. It simply became routine for me.

1. Nature versus nurture

I believe it was a combination of both nature and nurture that assisted in my personal development. However, nature played more of a role than nurture did. According to the text Introduction to Psychology, “Environmental factors probably contribute to some extent, but heredity also plays a role” (Roberts, 2006). My five strengths have helped in my personal development simply by motivating me. For example, my input strength has motivated me to travel to different parts of the world and collect things and ideas. My learner strength on the other hand continues to motivate me to go to school and thereby learn new things. In addition, nurture and nature have also played a major role in developing my five strengths. This is so because the environment that I grew up in encouraged me to travel and achieve whatever I set out to achieve. My environment also encouraged religion a lot and this, I believe, is where I get my connectedness strength from. Thinking is as much my strength as it is my mother’s. Therefore, this brings nature into sight.

1. Utilizing my skills in coping with stress

According to the text Introduction to Psychology, “A good deal of variability exists between individuals who are confronted with everyday hassles, major life changes or catastrophes. Some people seem to crumble when faced with stress, while others are more likely to ‘go with the flow” (Roberts, 2006). Personally, I tend to utilize my strengths when I am dealing with stressful situations. I try to not crumble. This, I feel is of the utmost importance, for what is the use of strengths if we cannot use them to help us out of seemingly hopeless situations? The first strength that comes into mind every time I am in a stressful situation is achiever. The reason for this is that most of the stresses I come across in my life are in my path at achieving success. As I said earlier, the sky is my limit when it comes to achieving. Therefore, anything that comes in my way, I am able to deal with. The other strength that helps me a great deal in dealing with stress is connectedness. Since I believe that everything that happens to us happens for a reason, I view stressful situations as exactly that. Every time I have a problem, I believe it has come my way because of a reason and so just I try to deal with it the best I can.

References

Goff, L. (2006). Four simple steps to get you motivated. In Kaplan University (Ed.), Introduction to psychology (p. 80). United States of America: Kaplan University.

Roberts, M., Ph.D. (2006). Developmental Psychology: Conception through Adulthood. In Kaplan University (Ed.), Introduction to psychology (pp. 143-145). United States of America: Kaplan University.

Roberts, M., Ph.D. (2006). Health Psychology. In Introduction to Psychology (pp. 175-176). United States: Kaplan University.

Roberts, M., Ph.D. (2006). Learning. In Kaplan University (Ed.), Introduction to psychology (p. 102). United States of America: Kaplan University.