Character refers to a set of moral and mental qualities and beliefs that makes a person different from others. Personality is the outer appearance and behavior of a person. At the same time, character indicates the traits of a person which are hidden from sight. The personality of an individual may change with time.

In rising up today, I’m curious about this distinction in humans and acknowledging that our true character represents our superpowers in life. Life is best lived in our true characters as they help us unveil our great potential. We live in a socially driven world that forces us to adapt in an effort to keep up with the Joneses. This can place us in a position where we refrain from exposing our true characteristics and rather create a personality that suits others and hides our character out of fear. This only lasts so long and places us in an oscillating structure where we can’t move forward in this inauthentic and incongruous version of ourselves. Not to mention the fact that we rock back and forth in our rocking chairs trying to move forward rather than use the perfectly good car we own called our true character and superpowers.

What are your characteristics? Here are a few to recognize in yourself:

• Resilience. The “True Grit” mindset; the ability to hang in there, tough it out, persevere and recover from setbacks.
• Curiosity. Our natural, inborn fascination with the world that makes us want to explore, learn and discover all we can about it.
• Social Intelligence. i.e. “meaningful connection with others” commonly seen as a team-player ability, awareness of others, and the ability to read other people’s emotions and connect with them in meaningful ways.
• Gratitude. An essential feeling of appreciation for what we have been given. 
• Kindness. More than simply “being nice,” kindness involves giving of one’s self — something that is a sacrifice of your time, your effort, your true consideration.
• Self-control. The ability to regulate one’s feelings and impulses; to recognize feelings and manage them, edit them, and not be run by them.
• Optimism. The ability to see the positive opportunity in situations. 

These characteristics are just a few and are inside you. Acknowledgment of them and the practice of them in your daily life, regardless of what others suggest or think is the way, is your way. If you are hiding them and portraying a false front and personality won’t get you anywhere. Remember that your personality will after time become your personal reality.