The case of the people person who fell out of love with people.

Zakiya Gibbons used to love strangers, nightlife, and somehow always ending up on a boat. 

Then lockdown happened. And somewhere in that solitude, Zakiya discovered something alarming: she loved being alone. And when the world opened back up, the things that used to light her up — parties, small talk, new people — made her anxious instead.

Zakiya wants to know: is this just who she is now? Or can she get back to the open, exuberant, people-loving version of herself?

In this episode, Yowei finds Zakiya a proxy: personality researcher Bill Chopik, who studies how people change over time. Together, they investigate whether personality is fixed, what it takes to change, and how to know when you’re honoring who you are versus accidentally becoming someone you don’t want to be.

From the episode: 

— Zakiya Gibbons — on Instagram @zak_sauce — more of her work: www.zakiyagibbons.com

— Dr. William Chopik — studies relationships and personality — more about his research: www.chopiklab.com, Bluesky @Chops310, X @Chops310

New to Proxy? Try Bisexual Wife Guy for a classic case, or Caitlin Lost the Voice In Her Head for a story about. losing access to a part of yourself you thought was permanent.

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