But the age doesn’t come without its fair share of doubts, too. “People start getting anxious about their future, questioning if they are in the right path,” Silva explained. “There is an increase in anxiety and depression in the 30s as a result of looking back to the past and questioning the future. The high hopes and expectations we have when we’re teens start to be challenged by reality and dreams are painfully crashed.”
However, chances are, your personality won’t change that much during this time. According to 20th-century Harvard psychologist William James, after age 30, a personality has “set like plaster.” Some studies back up this claim as well.
“Research about personality traits shows that personality doesn’t change for a long period of time over our lifespan,” Silva explained. “There is a recognizable change from childhood to age 30, becoming more stable and gradual after that (Terracciano, Costa & McCrae, 2009). My experience working with clients across their lifespan shows that there are a better understanding of who they are and things they want to change. I observe a continuous personality development.”
“30s can be seeing as a new beginning, which can bring anxiety but also lots of hopes, to reshape, restart, rethink,” Silva concluded. “It can be an exciting time to review what you have done and where you want to go. Start a new book or continue the one you are already writing.”
To put it simply, you’re still probably going to be the same you after you hit the big 3-0. Just an upgraded version!
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