If you’ve ever put something new out into the world – something creative or entrepreneurial, for instance – you can probably identify with the words of one of my fabulously talented friends: “I’m afraid of being seen. I’m also afraid of not being seen.” How can those two feelings coexist? They can, and often do. Look no further than “America’s Got Talent” for the evidence…
On the front porch of our house, there’s a welcome mat that I cross every time I come and go. It’s a great spot to wipe the wet Pacific Northwest weather off the bottom of my shoes before coming back inside. Other than that, I rarely notice it.
A client session yesterday – and the memory of a great article written by creative self-development coach Jamie Ridler – brought up the idea of a welcome mat as more than a place to get the gunk off.
Painfully shy.
Low self-esteem.
No self-confidence.
No social skills.
Afraid of people.
And yes, a loser.
How do I even survive in the world, if this is what people think of introverts!?! Let’s set the record straight.
Yesterday I announced on my Facebook Fan Page that I was rolling out a new focus on life and leadership coaching for introverts. Right out of the gate, a woman asked a question that gets at the heart of why I chose this specialty (actually, it chose me, but that’s another story!). She shared that she is an introvert then asked, “what are some tips for becoming more extroverted?” My response in a RetroPosting from 2009…
One day, a co-worker was meeting with me in my office. Sally was a very chipper woman, always smiling and in high spirits. She sat across from me and asked, “How are you today?” I responded “I’m doing OK.” I’ll never, ever forget what Sally said back, as she tipped her head to the side and smiled at me: “Can’t we do better than OK?”
