One of the primary steps a person who wants to influence his life positively should take is understanding his personality traits. A person who understands his personality knows where he belongs and the aspects he needs to change to succeed in life (Diener & Lucas, 2019). A person’s personality influences his actions and allows him to be successful in his field of expertise. For example, people who understand their personality take roles that identify with their characters and identity in the workplace (Diener & Lucas, 2019). I took the initiative to analyze my personality traits with the help of my close friends, which allowed me to explain my life choices. Some of the personality traits that define me are generosity and adventure. Last summer, I participated in charitable events that represent my character by donating some basic amenities to needy families in Rwanda.
I grew up listening to media reports on the suffering children went through as they strived to access clean water and sufficient food in Africa. The new reports painted a grim picture of how families struggled to feed their children in drought-stricken regions. I always prayed and hoped that their situation would improve. However, with the global temperatures rising due to climate change, the condition of various low-income families in Africa continues to worsen. Families in drought-stricken regions are forced to live without an adequate supply of water and food. Pictures across multiple news outlets showed malnourished children who looked like they had lost hope in life. I committed myself to do the best I could to transform their lives by donating funds to various charitable organizations.
I am still a student, limiting the amount of money I can donate to the needy, but that did not stop me from trying to help. I decided that the best strategy was approaching my parents and convincing them to support my initiative to help the drought-stricken children. Luckily I have supportive parents, and they agreed to support me with the little they had, which I greatly appreciated. The next step was approaching some of my friends who were willing to join my project to donate some basic amenities to Rwanda. I managed to attract 20 individuals, with each person contributing a considerable amount of money. Later we approached a UNICEF representative who listened to our idea and offered us some support.UNICEF was planning to fly some donations to Africa, and they agreed to sponsor our trip to Africa. It was my first time going to Africa, and I enjoyed the journey primality because I love adventure.
We arrived in Kayonza in Rwanda’s eastern province, where we interacted directly with the poor households. Their situation was dire, especially because they were in the middle of a famine that devastated their lives. I noticed that they were excited to receive us, which made me realize that our actions had transformed some lives. The trip to Africa strongly aligned with my character as a generous and adventurous person. My donations to needy households showed that I cared about other people and sought to improve their lives. Seeing the families smile after receiving the basic amenities made me proud of my actions because their situation would have worsened without our help. The trip also allowed me to enjoy the beautiful landscape of Rwanda and understand the culture of the residents of Kayonza.
References
Diener, E., & Lucas, R. E. (2019). Personality traits. General Psychology: Required Reading, 278.
