You’ve probably heard of the Big Five personality traits, or maybe you’ve taken the Myers-Briggs 16 personalities test to see where you land.
While I think these might be useful in understanding our actions a little more, I’m not a fan of how people tend to put labels on their personalities and categorize themselves in a variety of ways, blaming the response to certain situations on the sole fact that they are “INFJ-A.”
In my opinion, everyone’s personality is unique and, while life experiences and your environment definitely play a strong part in developing your personality, genetics also have a complex relationship with your personality development.
Looking at SelfDecode’s Personality Summary DNA Report is really fun, as you can see how big of an impact your DNA has on your personality, and how much of your personality strayed away from your DNA due to your environment and lifestyle.
But, similar to health topics I’ve gone over before – like heart health, inflammation, and anxiety – I also think that by understanding your genetics, you can make changes in your lifestyle to be who you want to be.
I’ll use myself as an example.
Am I Stuck To Being An Introvert?
If you take a look at my Personality DNA Summary Report, the first thing you’ll see is some of the “Big Five” personality traits according to my DNA.
According to my DNA, I’m more likely to be introverted rather than extroverted.
If you asked me whether that was true a couple of years ago, I would have to agree. I definitely was more introverted.
My brother, on the other hand, is extremely extroverted.
Even though we both shared a similar childhood, the difference between us was night and day.
I believe that our genetics made us process events differently.
Even though my environment as a child helped me become less introverted, there are some things that pushed him to be more extroverted that would push me towards introversion.
But, as with any health topic, your genes don’t dictate your future. When I started looking at my genes, one of my goals was to be more extroverted.
I carried the negative genetic variants for the RASSF2 and CCDC83 genes, both related to introversion and anxiety.
One of the recommendations for both of these genes was Omega-3 Fatty Acids, so this was one of the first supplements I implemented into my life.
Obviously, the next step was to put myself out there more, because taking these supplements doesn’t mean you are now a magnet to social situations.
However, when I did start going out more, it felt easier to socialize with people, and I didn’t feel like I needed to “recharge my social battery” as often as I used to.
The great thing is the Personality Summary DNA Report also looks at things like impulsivity, risk taking, nervousness, and leadership to give you an overview of how your genes impact your personality.
Discover Yourself With SelfDecode
Imagine gaining a deeper understanding of why you do the things you do.
By looking at your DNA, you can discover the deeper roots of your feelings and behaviors. It’s like having a roadmap to yourself, a guide to help you navigate your emotions and relationships.
With SelfDecode’s Personality Summary DNA Report, you can discover what makes you, YOU. And every SelfDecode plan comes with this report!
Using the knowledge of your genetics and combining it with your understanding of your environment and lifestyle can help you become the person you want to be.
