Stress greatly depends on one’s personality. Personality plays a key role in how we interpret stressors and how we react to stresses. Certain characteristics and personalities are more conducive to stress and its ill effects.
Personality A is a type of personality that is more proactive, hyperaggressive, easily frustrated, impatient and assertive. One can vary within it. One can be on the higher end or the lower end of it. The important reality is that one identifies it as a higher stress prone personality and how one responds to these more natural impulses.
Personality A in work or home life is very consumed and competitive in life. The personality wants to accomplish as much as possible with limited time. It has a difficult time enjoying accomplishments, but judges them and looks for more. It finds little time to relax the mind. It finds competition with others and expects more out of others. Due to this, is is also prone to quicker frustration, as well as less patience in its everyday dealings.
Stemming from this also is a perfectionism that goes beyond doing a good job but looks for impossible levels that cannot be reached. Due to this, many with Type A Personality are all in and when something goes wrong, they can binge to the opposite extreme. It also pushes one to overtly dependent on self with little trust upon others. Internal and external balance for achievement is in flux.
Believe it or not, this may look confident from the outside, but in fact, most Personality A also have low self-esteem. They need external approval and measure success by completed goals and achievements instead of one’s self.
Many individuals are Type A personality or share in the competitive and sometimes aggressive spirit. They have impatience and easy frustration and may exhibit lower self esteem deep down, but many are able to identify these impulses and alter them. They can use the impulses, much like OCD, or even ADHD, and utilize them for the good they create but not allow it to dominate them. Of course, the more severe the trait, the harder it is to be more relaxed, easier going, but balance is always the key.
Spirituality, a moral compass, and a objective conviction can also ground a personality driven by A. It can lessen the necessity of materialism and help one focus on the family and the soul.
Noone fits completely in one type of group. One may possess certain characteristics and not others within a personality trait but if one possesses enough traits and feels enough of the trait’s impulses, then one should be aware of it and know what it entails. In knowing this, one can better cope with one’s natural inclinations and live a more balanced and spiritual life.
Managing stress and having good health is essential to managing a Type Personality A. One can utilize the good drives that come from it but also manage the excess that can be found it. Balance is key.
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