Chapter 7

Stress-Prone & Stress-ResistantPersonality Traits

“Happiness is a decision…. Optimism is a cure for many things.”

— Michael J. Fox

Ms. Nien Cheng, Author, Life and Death in Shanghai

Are some people prone to stress while others are not?

How does personality influence our interpretations of our life events?

The following are examples of stress-prone and stress-resistant personalities.

Type ABehavior

What was once called the “hurry sickness” is now regarded as an

aggressive-based personality

Type A Characteristics1. Time Urgency 2. Polyphasia (multi-tasking)3. Ultra-competitiveness4. Rapid Speech Patterns5. Manipulative Control6. Hyperaggressiveness, Free-Floating Hostility

Hostility: The Lethal Trait

of Type As

Social Influences on Type A Behavior

1. Material wealth2. The desire for immediate gratification3. Competitiveness4. People as numbers or objects to overcome

Social Influences on Type A Behavior

5. Secularization6. Atrophy of the body and right brain7. Television watching and technology

Did Someone Say Type D Personality?

Depression

Codependent Personality Traits

1. Ardent approval seekers 2. Perfectionists3. Super-Overachievers4. Crisis Manager5. Devoted Loyalists6. Self-Sacrificing Martyrs7. Manipulators8. Victims (Victim Consciousness)9. Feelings of Inadequacy10. Reactionaries

Codependency Behavior Traits

1. External referencing 2. Lack of emotional boundaries3. Impression management4. Mistrust of one’s own perceptions5. Martyr syndrome6. Lack of spiritual health

Codependency Behavior Traits

Helpless-Hopeless PersonalityLocus of Control

Internal vs. External

The Hardy Personality: Resiliency

The Hardy Personality: Resiliency

1. Commitment2. Control3. Challenge

Survivor Personality

Biphasic Personality Traits

Sensation Seekers(Type R Personality)

People who examine the odds, take calculated risks and who live life to the fullest with confidence, self-

efficacy, courage, optimism, and creativity.

Figure 6.4. While we may not be able to change our personality completely, we can change personality traits

that tend to promote stress in our lives.

Source: © Randy Glasbergen, used with permission from www.glasbergen.com

Technology and Personality

Self-Esteem: The Bottom Line-Defense

Self-Esteem: The 6 Practices of Self Esteem

1. The focus of action2. The practice of living consciously3. The practice of self-acceptance4. The practice of self-responsibility5. The practice of self-assertiveness6. The practice of living purposely7. The practice of personal integrity

Self-Esteem: The Bottom-Line Defense

1. Connectedness 2. Uniqueness3. Power (empowerment)4. Models (mentors)

Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem

1. Disarm the negative critic2. Give yourself positive affirmations3. Avoid self-guilt and “should haves”4. Focus on you and your identity5. Avoid comparisons6. Diversify your interests7. Improve your connectedness8. Avoid self-victimization9. Reassert yourself before and during stress