Personal Narrative Final

Personal Narrative

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PSY/230

September 18, 2011

Dr. Isgitt

Personal Narrative

The purpose and meaning of my life has evolved over the past five years in that my five basic personality traits changed, therefore transporting me from stage six (young adulthood) of Erikson’s stages of life to stage seven (middle adulthood). In 2006 and the immediate years to follow, I experienced many life changing events that led to this evolution.

In 2006 I lost my job as a veterinary assistant, a position that made me confidant. I was very close to the staff; they were a second family to me. This life changing event not only financially wounded me, but hurt me socially as well. Because I could not find a job I could no longer afford the rent on my first apartment. My son and I were evicted. I had no choice but to take my mother’s offer of another house to live in. Her new husband owned the house out in the country. He would let me stay rent free until I could get back on my feet again. The house was very far away. I had to end the relationship I was in because of the distance. The house was little more than a shack; it was very drafty, old, and badly in need of many repairs. My closest neighbor could barely be seen in the distance, and I was miles away from any businesses. I did not have a car so I spent literally all of my time on the property. The only time I got to leave was when I was taken grocery shopping. I had no television service and no signal on my phone to talk to friends. My son and I lived in isolation in that shack for two years. This was a very low point in my life. I was very depressed, felt helpless, lonely, and positive I would not find a way out of my situation. My fixed personality traits at this time were reserved, sober; high strung, vulnerable; my interests were narrow, incurious; I was irritable and disagreeable (Mc Adams, 2006). The future looked very bleak.

In 2008 I had grown tired of settling for the little I...