Personality Traits
Category Details
This section is an in-depth dive into the Personality Traits category and what it is comprised of. It includes what was counted as a "personality trait" for this project, how much of the total this category makes up, and more. Read into the specifics below.
What answers are included?
The Personality Traits category is fairly straightforward, but it can be very broad. In order to keep it from being too inclusive, certain answers that fit into other categories were put there. The remaining answers and the ones that fit best in the Personality Traits category stayed here. Some examples include "I am creative", "I am positive", "I am weird", and "I am nice."
How does it rank?
The Personality Traits category was the biggest of the ten, despite only making up 16% of the total. 120 of the 757 total answers came from this group.
What are the most common answers?
In each category, the responses were recorded and tallied to find the most common themes. Each answer was then reviewed again and, if applicable, counted towards the subtype it fits. In the Personality Traits category, the top three answers are as follows:
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I'm funny (19)
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I'm determined/Dedicated (18)
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I'm awesome (14)
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The first includes any answers having to do with humor. The second includes any answers regarding determination and/or working hard to reach personal goals. The last includes descriptors such as awesome, amazing, and being a great person.
Interpreting the answers
What do these answers mean?
Personality Traits make great replies to the prompt "I love myself because..." because they are completely individual. Finding something in yourself that you love is the goal, so these replies are right on target. It is important to not love yourself because of someone else, how other people feel about you, etc. Personality traits are one of the biggest and arguably the most important parts of a human being, so looking at the characteristics you're comprised of and feeling joy and appreciation is vital in loving yourself. Thus, these answers are excellent!
What is good/bad about this response?
With regard to self image, personality traits are strong answers. Still, one of the best ways to understand them further is to view the positive and negative aspects of them.
Pros:​
- Does not rely on someone else
- Unique to everybody
- Loving the features that make you who you are is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Cons:
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The occasional answer depends on someone else to experience or appreciate them, but in general, there aren't drawbacks to these answers.
How does this affect mental health?
Loving your personality traits can be a great positive influence on mental health. Being able to love the characteristics that make up who you are is incredibly important! If you are able to do so, loving yourself becomes much, much easier. When you don't like the person you see in the mirror, it is very easy to amplify and hyperfocus on the things you dislike in yourself. This hole can be extremely hard to get out of. Being able to come out on the other side or to prevent having a negative self-image before it begins creates a positive effect on self love and mental health.
Take action!
Each section has an article that relates to its subject and a description of its contents. More readings are listed at the end of the page.
How self-love changes the way you live
Importance of Self Love in Improving Your Mental Health.
This article includes a short list of ideas on how to practice self-love and the rewards that follow.
When thinking about self-love and self-image, it's easy to assume that it only affects your mind. And yes, how you feel about yourself greatly impacts your mental state, but that's not the end of it. Disliking parts of who you are also manifests itself in your physical state, social life, relationships, and more. But by practicing self-love and working to improve your perception, you will see these side effects start to fade away. Psychologically, lower stress levels and a lower likelihood of developing depression and/or anxiety are some benefits. Reducing the torment that is felt from self-criticism appeases the tension that is held in your body and mind. You are also more inclined to stick up for yourself and strive for the best when you're higher in self-esteem. People who prioritize themselves and their happiness tend to set more boundaries to protect what they have. This often comes from choosing to associate with positive, supportive people, healthy environments, and speaking up for your needs. Finally, a strong relationship with yourself encourages stronger relationships with others. Disliking your features, whether they're physical or internal, can cause you to isolate from others. But when you start to change the way you see yourself, you become more comfortable engaging with the world, nourishing the relationships you have, and creating new ones. Because if you can't love yourself, you can't love anyone else.
Where self-hatred can stem from
One of the first steps towards a positive relationship with yourself and loving yourself more is identifying why you feel unhappy with who you are now. It is natural to think that self-hatred could only be caused by the person feeling it, but that isn't always the case. There are a few common sources of the negativity you may feel towards yourself. Other people can have a strong effect on how you feel about yourself and your personality. Hearing someone else criticize or tear you down makes it easy to internalize and believe that negativity. This could come from a family member, a bully at school, or a bad friend, for example. Although it may be hard, try not to take someone else's words and opinions to heart. Comparing yourself to others is another leading cause of low self-esteem. President Theodore Roosevelt famously said "Comparison is the thief of joy," which perfectly summarizes the feelings brought by comparing your life to someone else's. We typically compare ourselves to those who have something that we want, such as a body, lifestyle, or material things. When this happens, you are left feeling envious of that person and disliking what you possess. This cycle of comparing and criticizing yourself will only tear you down and is built on a rocky foundation. Even though it may be hard to understand, no one is perfect, including those who appear to be. Being overly critical of yourself can also stem from the desire to be perfect and succeed at everything. Striving to be your best is not a bad thing, but when you expect more of yourself than you're capable of or is realistic, it turns into something detrimental. Setting too high of expectations for yourself usually leads to feeling like you're not good enough, even if you're achieving exactly what you need to be. There is no such thing as being perfect, and setting out to be will always result in disappointment. It is important to not ask too much of yourself because you're only human. You will make mistakes, you will feel insecure, and you will have bad days, but you will continue to persevere.
Accepting and loving your personality- where to start
"I Hate My Personality"- Solved
This article includes common reasons people dislike their personality and some methods that help change that perception.
Working on changing your perception and loving yourself may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. The process will look different for everyone, but some principles are valuable to remember no matter what stage you're at. The first is to understand that it is okay to struggle. It is only natural to make mistakes and to have setbacks. That is part of being human. Try not to compare yourself and your journey to someone else's. You are not the same. Comparing your lows to someone else's highs misrepresents you both and is not constructive. Understand that everyone struggles, even if you can't see it. You are not alone and aren't the first person to feel this way. Additionally, life is not black and white. People aren't inherently good or bad, there are no right or wrong decisions, and feelings are not facts. Just because you see things a certain way does not mean that is how it is, or how it will stay. These emotions and experiences won't last forever.
Changing how you speak to and think about yourself takes effort and acknowledgment, which can be difficult. The following are some things to keep in mind while working through the beginning stages. If you still cannot think of yourself differently, try taking yourself out of the situation. Imagine that someone you love is struggling in the same way. How would you react? Would you talk to and treat your loved ones this way? You deserve to give yourself the same level of understanding and support you would give someone else in your position. One of the most complicated but most rewarding progressions is changing how you talk to yourself. Pay attention to your inner critic and the negative comments you make towards yourself every day. When you start thinking something overly critical, try to replace the harsh voice with a softer one. Switching that judgment for compassion will train you to think more kindly and positively. For example, instead of "That was so stupid of me," try "One mistake does not define who I am." Finally, don't focus all of your energy on the rest of the world. Giving everything you have to the people around you, your job, family, and responsibilities is not sustainable. Finding the balance between supporting those who rely on you and looking after your mental health is key. If you don't take the time to care for yourself, every aspect of your life will feel the strain. Try to do at least one thing that makes you happy every day. Something as big as a month-long vacation or as simple as going to your favorite restaurant for lunch. Self-care comes in all shapes and sizes. There is no wrong answer! Working to love yourself is not a cut-and-dry process, but as long as you remember to be forgiving and to make an effort, you will be on your way.
Additional articles
Still want to learn more about this topic?
This section includes more writings about personality traits, self-love, mental health, and how to improve how you feel about yourself.
5 Ways Comparison is the Theif of Joy (and how to quit!)
It is natural to look for similarities and differences you have with the lives of your peers. But when you start to compete with others and scrutinize your life, the gratitude and the love you feel for yourself are put in danger. Read more about the negativity of comparison and how to overcome it in this article.
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How to Like Yourself: 12 Tips And Exercises
Not liking who you are is an unfortunately common experience. As mentioned in the "Where self-hatred can stem from" section, disliking yourself can be caused by a myriad of things. This article expands on reasons this may occur and gives tips to help you like yourself more.
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Learning about your personality and how it can affect your mental health is valuable information to know about yourself. It can help you understand how the traits you're composed of contribute to your well-being and psychological state. This article gives you ten personality traits that are beneficial to your mental health and what positive effects they bring.