Personal Reflection Sample Paper on Do you believe in Transformation?

In psychology, transformation involves moving from unconscious desires to attain critical thoughts that promote individual’s well being. According to Erikson’s life span theory, humans are rational and conscious, as they actively endeavor to establish actions that intend to contribute toward their own developmental progress (Baucum, 2006). Transformation depends on what an individual is willingly longing for, which compels us to keep going. Piaget affirmed that intellectual development resulted from testing sensory experience and adapting to natural environment (Noddings, 2004). As a police sergeant, I believe in constant learning, which involves transformation of thoughts that enable individuals to handle their daily responsibilities.

My belief on transformation is based on the notion that individuals prefer adding value to their lives rather than experiencing a decline on their usefulness. Learning enhances transformation, as students flee from ignorance into a world of critical thinkers when they focus on their goals. Leading a team in a police force is not a simple task, but commitment to transformation has assisted in winning numerous battles. Each attack offered a great lesson, as well as critical thoughts on how to proceed with the subsequent attack. The experience was transformative because I took it as a free will. Thus, transformation can be expressed in interpretive theory, where an individual is at free will to decide on the direction to take during the transformation. According to Bevir (2011), interpretive theorists placed emphasis on meanings as the main drive for actions.

The process of transformation proceeds in stages, as Erikson’s life span theory tends to suggest. This theory incorporates eight psychosocial stages, where each stage offers a life crisis that has to be resolved in a given period (Baucum, 2006). The theory assumes that individuals have to encounter crises at each stage, but successful completion of each stage is necessary for attaining a healthy personality. Just like an experience in the police force, a good start is crucial if one is focused on the final goal. Sometimes I feel stuck in some life issues and begin asking myself whether I truly believe in transformation from the inside out. Seeking assistance from senior people during the process of transformation can facilitate in understanding one’s experience in full.

The two theories conflicts each other in expressing transformation, based on the conception that experience is a continuous process. In interpretive approach, the theorists assert that understanding human affairs should necessitate grasping the relevant meanings only while Erickson’s life span theory affirmed that success is only assured if individuals undergo all stages. Each stage in Erickson’s life span theory has basic virtues prerequisite for resolving subsequent crises.  Interpretive theorists hold that we cannot deduce meanings from social science because social science does not underline consciousness and rationalism as the reasons for actions (Bevir, 2011).

Sticking to the journey of transformation, even when transformation work seems to be difficult to cope can help in resolving crises in life, as well as gaining meaningful experience. No one can move through the journey of transformation with only successes, as learning involves evaluating relevance of some actions. Teachers should endeavor to understand students’ needs so that they can comprehensively offer applicable knowledge that can trigger transformation (Noddings, 2004). As we grow in our emotional maturity, we also learn to live according to our principles of life. Individuals can surmount obstacles while seeking knowledge through setting clear intentions and looking for support from counselors. Struggling to construct a healthy personality is the best thing in transformation.