Why You Can’t Be Yourself Always

On By Lazada ErmaIn Personal

There are times where in you’ll have to adapt to your surroundings. You will have to forget about what you are or your personality when it doesn’t fit the situation you’re in. This is one thing I always remind myself of. As an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, I need to be lively, or energetic and to be even funny because the students might find the class boring if I’m being serious while teaching them. But as someone who’s an ambivert, with 60% introverted-ness, I find it as my biggest struggle in teaching ESL to foreign students to be that full of energy and funny teacher and at the same time with substance, especially to the ones who don’t really intend to learn the language ’cause it’s only their parents who want them to study. I find interacting with people draining most of the times, but since I’m in this field, I really have to do my best to  make my students motivated or interested in learning, otherwise I’m not an effective teacher.

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My Korean student. He’s very talkative and friendly so I get along with him pretty well.

I don’t feel comfortable in opening myself, or being funny with someone whom I’m not close with, or unless I’ve spent quite sometime with them, so building a rapport with the students is quite not an easy thing for me to do. However if the students are really determined to improve their skills, I can just be my serious self because they focus more on the lessons than on how I am while teaching.

Nonetheless, like I’ve said, I always remind myself about this, and since my day 1 on this field I’ve been practicing “not being myself all the time” at work. Luckily, there have been some improvements, and one proof of this are my former students who still keep in touch with me online. I guess if I keep doing this, in no time I’ll finally be good at adjusting my personality accordingly.

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One of my Japanese students in 2016. She had a writing class with me.

I’m not sure if there are people who can actually relate to this in this particular aspect of life, but I’m more than happy to share this since once again I was able to put my thoughts regarding one of my struggles into words and I hope teaches you a thing or two. ♥

15 thoughts on “Why You Can’t Be Yourself Always”

    1. Wow! Yeah .. It’s sometimes weird that we end up in jobs which don’t suit our personalities but I think it’s better that way since it’s outside our comfort zone. I’m not really shy in general, though, but I can easily get intimidated sometimes. Anyway, I hope you’re doing good at your job. ☺

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  2. I agree! As a supervisor, even if you want to say what’s on your mind, you have to package it in a way that’s not going to be misinterpreted by your associates, in real life and online. You always have to think of how they will take your word. Not that I am not being honest, but I have to make sure that whar I say can not be taken against me. It’s not an easy task but I got used to it.

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    1. This one has something to do with how we handle people but still connected to adapting to the environment, and just like acting that personality which suits our jobs description, we have to make sure we behave or act accordingly.

      I’m glad to know you are already used to what you need to do at your work. 😊☺

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  4. I think I commented on this last time. Not sure why it’s not showing or maybe it’s still held in moderation.

    Anyway, it’s good that you’re now adding images to your post. It adds value to the post. Hope all is well with you!

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    1. I’m not sure if you have commented, but thank you for commenting again. 🙂
      It’s really better to have featured images, but then sometimes, I just find it hard to find a suitable one.
      Yes, all is well with me and I hope everything’s well there also.

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