Human Behavior And Its Effects On Humans

I have always been fascinated by human behavior. Growing up, I poured over books where I strongly empathized with the characters and analyzed their choices, attempting to gain an insight into why humans behave the way they do. The household I grew up in was particularly oriented towards logic and reason, but my empathy towards others was always encouraged by my family. When I went to college, I weighed my options shrewdly. I picked a major that would simultaneously spark my interest, as well as lead to a career that would fill me with a sense of purpose: psychology. I focused all my energy on learning about human behavior and took many supplemental sociology classes to fill the gaps of societal effects on humans. I felt secure in my ability to be both objective and compassionate towards others. However, I started to feel increasingly overwhelmed as college progressed, and placed blame on myself for not being able to be more cool and collected. This was affecting my grades, relationships with others, and overall health. The turning point for me came at the beginning of my junior year.

There was a workshop required for a class of mine that focused on mindfulness. This workshop began my journey of reframing the way I regarded my stress. Over time, I started to understand that I could feel compassion not only for others, but also for myself. This personal growth was extremely important, not only for myself, but for my abilities as a future counselor. Practicing self-compassion has given me the self-awareness to fully focus on others without letting my self-perceptions bias my interactions. Beyond the compassion I experience for others, there are many reasons I desire to pursue counseling. A career where I can grow and progress is ide...

... middle of paper ...

...seling have evolved throughout being an accomplished psychology undergraduate student and a mental health care professional, I realize that my natural next step is becoming a counselor. I am an empathetic and compassionate person, capable of non-judgement and acceptance. This is evidenced to me through my professional experiences, as well as life experiences. I have the skills that will allow me to work with people from all walks of life, and give me a deep understanding of how to relate to people regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs, or socioeconomic status. The profession of counseling will fulfill my needs to continuously improve myself, learn new skills, and utilize my compassion for other human beings. The ability to continue directly empowering people to heal and grow in a more nuanced manner would fill me with a sense of purpose and sustain my passion.