Perspectives on Changes in Adulthood - Essay Example

Perspectives on Changes in Adulthood Myriad changes may be experienced as one goes through the period of adulthood. This paper provides a personal perspective regarding these perceived changes from going through early to late adulthood. It also tackles my personal philosophy and the bases of my views. Personal Philosophy My philosophy in life involves both my relationship with others and my personal concerns. In terms of how I relate with the people around me, I adhere to the so-called “Golden Rule,” which states that we should not do unto others what we do not want others do unto us. With this, I believe that in order for me to live a good life, I must refrain from abusing others or causing them unnecessary hurt. This means that I should be mindful of relationship with people such that I give utmost consideration to how they feel. When dealing with the people I care most about like my family, friends or colleagues and even strangers, I try to be firm but at the same time gentle and understanding. Exploring the other side of the coin, the same rule may also be interpreted as to do unto others what we want them to do unto us. Hence, since I desire respect and love from the people who matter to me, I should also be generous in giving the respect and love that I yearn from them. This principle of reciprocity also extends to finding ways and means to be of service to people. I try to share with others as much as I could. I impart to them my material blessings, quality time and God-given talents. I have been blessed with myriad gifts and abilities. As such, I should maximize these blessings my putting them into use that is mutually beneficial for my fellowmen and me. In this regard, it is not only I who becomes the better person but they as well. However, I am cautious of people who attempt to exploit the kindness and generosity I willingly offer. I also protect myself from being taken advantage of. With regard to my personal concerns, I reckon that to ensure success in life I should always give my best in everything I do. Thus, in all my undertakings, I exert my best effort. Although the outcome may not be as expected, what is essential is that I tried my best. Perception on Changes in Activities, Relationships, Health and Mental Outlook As I crossed over from early to full-bloom adulthood, my perception and action on various matters have substantially changed. During early stages of adulthood, I have this typical carefree attitude that one normally displays in youth. To widen my horizon, I savored attending social gatherings and parties where I met a lot of people and made new friends or contacts. When I was younger, I loved exploring new things, thus, I was open to trying activities or things that I have never encountered. When it comes to my relationship with others, I was more passionate, intense and irrational with no complete regard as to what effects such emotions or actions would have on me. Bordering on the immature side, the relationships I had built then tended to be unstable as I somehow had a narrow and selfish viewpoint. With regard to my health, this aspect was not really a primary concern then. Albeit I was fully aware of apparent health hazards relative to having vices or driving too fast or consuming too much junk and fatty foods, it never dawned on me that these might have adverse effects on me. I was not totally appreciative to the good health I enjoyed with the perception that such condition would last a lifetime. As a young adult, my mental outlook by and large lies alongside childishness or immaturity. With this, I was aggressive so I had the tendency to always act before actually thinking of the whole circumstance or the consequences of my actions. This attitude brought about a number of regrettable results. Nonetheless, I had learned valuable lessons from these experiences that honed me into becoming a more mature and responsible being. With the passing of time, I have bloomed into a full-pledged adult who thrives by critical thinking. As I grow older, I have become more discerning of activities I engage in. This means that prior to engaging in social or physical activities, I initially evaluate the benefits to be derived from these endeavors. I believe that it helps a lot if one assesses the pros and cons of engaging in activities such as strenuous or extreme sports. Such view may be attributed to the fact that my agility has somehow diminished as I age. Similarly, I have also become wiser with regard to my relationships with the people I encounter. Instead of being readily trusting of new acquaintances, I first ruminate if these people have hidden motives in befriending me or if building friendships with them would bode well for me. As I experienced the bitterness of betrayal from a lot of people, I have learned to always be on guard when it comes to choosing friends. In the same way, I have come to cherish the people with whom I have formed strong and lasting bonds. With a greater level of maturity, I have become more considerate and understanding of people. Rather that being engrossed solely with my personal concerns, I have come to identify with people’s behavior by empathizing or putting myself in their shoes. As a result, I am better able to patiently relate with others and become more tolerant of their attitudes. As I feel the toll of age, I have become more conscious of my health. Consequently, I strive to stick with the right diet and consult the doctor for regular check-ups. Apart from these, I try to exercise and get adequate sleep as much as possible. I think that such attitude towards health would lessen the risk of getting sick, as I get older. Considering the above, it can be seen that my mental outlook, as a greater degree of maturity sets in, becomes more analytical. Given my widening breadth of experience, as I get older, I am better able to make decisions rationally. There is a greater likelihood for me to think first before acting so as to ascertain that the right courses of action are undertaken. In light of the above, I reckon that from early to late adulthood, people generally have a tendency to slow down in terms of the activities they engage in, specifically those that test their physical capacity. Moreover, we become more conscious as we age so we pamper ourselves more and become more appreciative of the importance of good health. Aside from these, aging is often associated with maturity. Thus, in the aspect of relationships and mental outlook, we usually become more understanding as we utilize critical thinking in analyzing the situations as well as other people’s behavior and attitude. In my case, as I get older, I have also recognized my innate penchant to become a better person by making better and wiser choices in life. I reckon that the path we take in the crossroads of adulthood help determine the kind of future I would be confronted with. Views Based on Experience and Observation My views are based both on experience and observation. With all the things I have done, particularly those instances when I have committed grave mistakes, I make sure that I learn from them. Such would lessen the probability of repeating the same blunders. This also means that when the time comes that I encounter a similar situation or be confronted with a familiar decision, I am better equipped emotionally and mentally, given the wisdom gained from my experiences. For instance, I have bought a defective appliance from a local department store. In view of the said experience, I may either opt not to shop in the said store or closely inspect and ask for warranties when I purchase a new appliance again. This is in line with the aphorism, “If someone fools you once, shame on him. But if he fools you twice, shame on you.” I believe that this natural tendency for people to learn from experience is a vital component of our instinct for self-preservation. In the same way, I admit that I also rely on observation in establishing my views. This is because the depth of my experience may not be sufficient if used as the sole basis for my views. One way of doing this is by listening to the advices of people whom I trust like my parents and close friends. Furthermore, as I observe the lives and actions of these people, I have grasped worthwhile lessons that I could apply in my life. Moreover, lessons imparted in school or gathered through personal research may be a basis for forming my views. Note that these observations are not only used in the formation of views but also in solidifying or examining my existing views. For instance, I have learned in school that being addicted to narcotic drugs would have adverse effects on my physical and psychological health. In this regard, I do not need to experience being a junkie in forming such a view. Based on my observation of the lives of drug addicts coupled with warnings of local authorities, I have developed a firm view that being addicted to drugs is indeed hazardous to my health. In view of the above, it is apparent that both experience and observation are crucial in establishing and validating one’s views in life. I believe that it is in the combination of experiencing and observing that people truly learn. By contemplating on our experiences and observations, we become wiser and better persons. Read More