How personal Traits Affect Your Lifespan

Discover how your traits can affect your lifespan

Can Your Traits Affect Your Lifespan?

Yeap you heard that right! Traits can determine your lifespan, and they can either increase or decrease it. It’s always up to you.

I can sense YOU want to punch me right now, asking yourself, "Well, I thought this blog was all about health? How can my traits affect my lifespan/health? Is Abdulqadir going nuts?!" Okay, hold those thoughts and join me to learn how traits can affect your health and decrease your lifespan (hold that punch too).

From your life experiences to where you are right now, I’m sure you already know that the better our connections, the deeper our connections, and the more we look forward to our connections, the happier we are and the longer we live. According to the academic perspective on personality traits, there are five traits that humans have, known as the BIG FIVE (OCEAN). Here’s a small summary of all the traits.

The Big Five (OCEAN)

The Big Five, or the Five-Factor Model, consists of five traits:

Openness (O)
Conscientiousness (C)
Extraversion (E)
Agreeableness (A)
Neuroticism (N)

These traits are categorized into high, low, and medium levels, allowing you to evaluate yourself. Now let’s dive into each of them:

Openness

Do you like trying new things all the time? Do you love being creative? Are you very curious and open-minded? Do you love taking risks? If so, you likely have HIGH Openness. In contrast, people with LOW Openness are more practical, follow traditional routines, and are very cautious.

Conscientiousness

This trait concerns how you approach details. HIGH Conscientiousness individuals are detail-oriented, organized, and responsible. LOW Conscientiousness individuals prefer flexibility and may find details bogging them down, leading to carelessness.

Extraversion

We hear a lot about this trait today. HIGH Extraversion individuals thrive in social situations, gaining energy from being around people. They want to share their experiences, whether good or bad. LOW Extraversion individuals (introverts) often find social situations exhausting and recharge through alone time. Many people fall somewhere in between—known as ambiverts.

Agreeableness

These are the "YES" people who tend to agree on everything. HIGH Agreeableness individuals often fall into the "people-pleaser" category, sometimes overcommitting due to their desire to help and cooperate. LOW Agreeableness individuals tend to be more analytical and suspicious, often defaulting to "NO."

Neuroticism

This trait relates to how you handle worry. HIGH Neuroticism individuals are more anxious and may take worrying to extremes, viewing it as a way to prevent failure. In contrast, LOW Neuroticism individuals are emotionally stable and manage their feelings better.

So, which traits do you think are more likely to increase longevity?

My answer was Openness, but guess what? Openness can be dangerous (think adrenaline junkies) since these individuals might take extreme risks. However, traits that contribute to longevity include:

Agreeableness: Leads to longevity as these individuals are cooperative and willing to try new experiences, even if they push them out of their comfort zones.
High Conscientiousness: Detail-oriented individuals remember to maintain healthy habits like daily exercise, avoid smoking, and practice self-discipline.
Extraversion: Research shows that individuals who thrive on social interaction tend to live longer. Greater connections lead to increased oxytocin, the hormone that fosters social bonding.

But wait, you might be wondering, "But I am an introvert; does that mean I'll die early?"

First of all, these traits are not the only factors influencing longevity. Other elements, like your health and diet, play a significant role. It’s essential to consider the whole person and not just their personality. An extrovert with a poor diet could die earlier than an introvert who eats healthily.

Secondly, many people fall in between these traits, and you could have a combination of them. So don’t punch me yet—just breathe!

I’m an Introvert—What Should I Do?

For those who identify with none of these traits (I strongly include myself here, although some say I have Openness), it’s okay! This is where charisma comes in. According to the Oxford Dictionary, charisma is defined as “compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion among others.”

Let me bold the following statement: You can find your flavor in charisma, and it doesn’t have to involve pretending to be an extrovert. Did you 'aha'? Not yet? Okay, let’s continue.

People often follow the phrase "fake it till you make it." For those who have tried this, you might be familiar with how unhappy it can make you. This approach can drain you, whether you like it or not. Instead, understand your social battery. Figure out what people, places, or activities drain your energy—like a specific app or a person at school, university, or work. Set boundaries and feel empowered to say no.

Here’s how you and I can benefit from the traits associated with longevity.

Now, if you feel awkward and think people won’t understand you, please send me an email—we can be friends! So what should you do? According to Vanessa Van Edwards, the best way to overcome awkwardness is to break down specific aspects of your interactions. Identify what works for you and what doesn’t, and find questions or topics that excite you.

Tips for Maintaining Conversations

For those who consider themselves awkward (and for everyone else, I didn’t forget you), here are some strategies to keep conversations flowing:

Avoid "Social Script Questions":

What’s new?
How are you holding up?
How’s business?
How was school?
What do you do?
Where are you from?
How’s the family?

These questions can lead to boredom, especially with acquaintances. Instead, ask more engaging questions, such as:

I’m trying this interesting activity—can I share it with you?
What’s something fascinating you learned this week?
You’re a great player! Where did you learn to play like that?
Girl, you can cook! How did you learn?

But this doesn’t mean you should be a chatterbox. Engage with people and speak when necessary. Remember, nobody enjoys a blabbermouth; conversations should focus on mutual interest.

Ambivalence vs. Toxic Relationships

Did you know that ambivalent relationships can be more damaging than toxic ones?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, ambivalence means "the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone."

When you know someone dislikes you (toxic), it’s easy to avoid them. You can have short conversations or skip talking altogether. However, with ambivalent relationships, you might constantly question:

Do I have fun with them?
Was I supportive?
Was that enough?
Was I mean to them?

This uncertainty can be stressful. Research shows that ambivalent relationships are more harmful than toxic ones.

Listen, you might need to love certain people from a distance. Sometimes, individuals are so caught up in their pain that they project it onto others, claiming, "I’m not successful because the people around me didn’t do enough." Ultimately, it’s up to them to figure it out. (Did I sound like a motivational speaker?)

And remember, people are a byproduct of their circumstances. We should be thankful we didn’t grow up with the same parents or face the same situations because we might have turned out just like them.

Phew!

That’s enough for today. I hope I don’t deserve a punch and that I was helpful.

My Biggest Fear

My biggest fear is that whatever I share won’t be helpful to your life in one way or another!

I would love feedback from you and emails from those who think they’re awkward, too, on whatever interesting topic you’d like to know about. And don’t forget to share this post with a friend—and another friend.

Thank you for your time, again.. 💛