When the busyness and business of life gets to be too much, we sometimes find out too late that we’ve lost touch with what makes us unique, what makes us brilliant. We feel disconnected from our energy and even our values. My guest today is Amy Kessel, certified life coach. Amy has dedicated her coaching business to helping women in transition reconnect with their authentic selves and their purpose. And her message today isn’t just for the ladies – men also will benefit from her wisdom and call to find simple ways to honor your strengths.
When I witnessed a recent claim – and subsequent retraction – of “I’m an extrovert” by an introvert, it got me thinking again about how we introverts sometimes negate that part of our personality. We think it’s a curse. We think it needs to be changed. We think we need to hide it, because we get messages that our introvert traits are not OK. The less our personality is affirmed, the more we disown it in order to be “socially acceptable.”
In this podcast, I share some thoughts on what happens when introvert strengths are turned inside out, why we often feel an internal tug-of-war between our personal and public personas, and how a method called Voice Dialogue can help introverts reclaim “pride of ownership” of their true personality.
How often do you find yourself saying, “Part of me wants to this, but another part of me wants to that”? This and that might be stay home or go out, order dessert or “be good,” find a new job or stay put. That very same tug-of-war comes into play when we’re talking about being introverted in an extroverted world. Does our introversion need to meet anyone’s approval? Is there a winner and a loser? Here’s my 3am insight…
Two great synchronicities have happened in the past week: I declared my niche of life and leadership coaching for introverts, and a drama played out on the world stage with Gordon Brown, introvert.
Those two things combined connected me with a reporter who writes for The Coaching Commons. He asked me to provide thoughts for an article, which I did. I’m pleased to share the resulting story here.
Are you challenged by trying to navigate an extroverted world with an introverted heart and mind?
People may think you’re shy, a loner, depressed, socially challenged or just don’t like to have fun.
Phooey on that!
You are a thoughtful, introspective person, not always understood by others. You might even think of yourself as your own best friend! You are friendly, social and often demonstrate natural leadership… AND you enjoy – really, NEED – time and space to be alone, to recharge, to center yourself.
With me, you’ll find a uniquely safe space for you to process and succeed on your own terms. This space is created for you to journey into deep self-awareness, which enriches every area of your life (esp. career and relationships). You develop personal and leadership skills that help you work WITH your introversion, not against it. It’s not about changing you so you can be more extroverted; it’s about embracing and loving who you are, trusting your inner wisdom and truth.
