Mature Life Features

. . . stay healthy and well

will be explained clearly and concisely by

Physician Assistant Clara Goodman from Health U Family Medicine

at 2 p.m. in the theater.

Then hop down to the dining room at 3:30 p.m.

for the monthly birthday party

for residents who have birthdays this month.

And hang around for Mary Weaver’s review

of things to do the rest of this month (while she’s away)

at 4:30 in the dining room.

= = = = =

Acting Like Someone Else

Might Help Mental Health

By James Gaffney

Mature Life Features

While it sounds counterintuitive, there’s mental-health research suggesting one of the best ways to feel good about yourself is to try not “acting like yourself.”

You heard right.

 “Being true to yourself” often means acting counter to your personality traits, according to research conducted by a Wake Forest University psychologist.

Because authenticity predicts a variety of positive psychological outcomes, this study can help people see they have options for how they behave.

One implication of these findings is it might be possible for individuals to improve their mental health by acting against their personality traits. Being flexible with who you are is OK. It is not denying or disrespecting who you are. People are often too rigid about themselves and stick with the comfortable and familiar.

Results of the study revealed that introverts feel more “authentic,” or true to themselves, when they are acting extroverted. When a shy person attends a party and acts like a social butterfly, the individual is likely to report feeling like showing off his or her true self at that time in that situation.

Some might argue that acting in this way suggests people are faking it. But the Wake Forest study shows that is not the case.

Authenticity is consistently associated with acting highly extroverted, even for those who characterize themselves as introverts. Also, people who think of themselves as disagreeable and rude feel more true to themselves when they are agreeable, considerate, polite and kind. And, people who consider themselves careless feel more true to themselves when they are conscientious.

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