This episode explores a meta-analysis of 44 studies involving over 120,000 participants and how major life events are associated with personality change. It reveals reliable and specific, yet relatively small, effects on Big Five traits, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Changes were larger and more consistent in the work domain (e.g., graduation, first job) than in the love domain (e.g., new relationship, marriage). Self-esteem and life satisfaction showed more consistent changes than Big Five traits. While gain-based events had more frequent effects in work, love-related gain events showed larger short-term impacts, and loss-based events had larger long-term consequences. The study highlights the nuanced and specific ways life transitions shape individuals.