Personality can be described in many ways, but researchers often rely on the "Big Five" model, which includes openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism — the last referring to a tendency toward stress, anxiety, or low mood.

Many people assume these traits remain stable throughout life.However, Shannon Sauer-Zavala from the University of Kentucky argues that personality can change, and individuals can deliberately reshape it.  

Writing in The Conversation, she explains that personality change can begin with two key steps and can happen within a few months. The first step is increasing awareness of your thoughts and recognizing how they shape your behavior.

For instance, a belief such as "No one wants to talk to me" can prevent you from feeling confident in social settings, reinforcing introverted behavior.

The second step involves observing your usual behavioral patterns and intentionally experimenting with different responses. If you tend to avoid conversation, others are less likely to interact with you, which appears to confirm your negative belief.

But if you deliberately initiate conversations, you may create new experiences that challenge old thinking.

Over time, repeating new behaviors can lead to emotional changes and even long-term shifts in personality traits. In short, meaningful personality change begins with conscious thought and intentional action.