Many people are not aware of all the complementary strengths of introverts and extroverts—at least not yet.
And that’s ok. The humanity evolved in time, and still does.
We now know (or at least heard) about personality, attitudes, beliefs… but was not always the case. And there’s even more to learn.
Did you meet people who don’t know where they fit on the extroversion-introversion spectrum?
We did. And we’re positive that learning more about this topic could help them better understand themselves and human interactions.
Other people believe they know if they are extroverts or introverts, but that’s just their assumption. If they would dig further, they could realize that things are… different! Because, in some situations, introverts can act as extroverts, and the other way around. So the image they project (even in their own mind) might be wrong.
And there are those curious to learn more about how they really are. In time, they discover their strengths, what they like, which lessons they’ve been taught are no longer valid (or never were for them), how to set boundaries and communicate them effectively…
So they take more care of themselves (not only of others). And use their talents to make the world a better place… no matter how it is now and how difficult the situation seems to be. Are you one of them?
Introvert’s Hero Journey
At the individual level, there’s a transformational journey one goes through in life (including the professional aspect of it).
While some keep evolving, others might get stuck in this process.
For introverts, we call this transformation the Introvert’s Hero Journey (there’s one for extroverts as well).
At the beginning, you know nothing about the extroversion-introversion spectrum. Then you stumble upon this concept and make assumptions based on what you heard or read… barely scratching the surface. Without getting curious to learn more, these assumptions can shape your perspective and attitudes affecting negatively your life.
Like Amala Ekpunobi’s shared in this short video: https://youtube.com/shorts/hhvn5XwYas8
Although she talks about racial attitudes she was taught in childhood (which affected her life), I hope you get my point: assumptions (learned or self-made) shape how we perceive the world. And, like a boomerang, they come back to haunt us.
Until… something happens: you learn or discover more, which triggers an awakening.
You realize there’s more to those situations than what (others made) you think. Questioning the validity of your own assumptions triggers a perspective’s shift. Which helps you get out of the victim mentality. and look forward to using your energy in more constructive ways—instead of chasing situations that reinforce your false assumptions or reasons to blame others (attitudes that drain your energy without helping you to move forward).
In that video, you probably noticed how beneficial was for Amala to shift away from the assumptions that negatively impacted her childhood by reframing those situations from a different perspective.
Perspective shift
Even if they live in a world that can’t stop talking, introverts can also benefit from shifting their perspectives from feeling a victim… to… setting boundaries, “chasing” causes dear to their heart, and expressing themselves more often so others get to know them.
And do all these at their own pace, on their own terms. better. No need to pressure themselves to act as extroverts.
There’s no rush, even if it seems that the world puts pressure to do things faster, to have everything NOW.
Everything happens for a reason, although it might not always be obvious. Introverts were born with many strengths, so there’s a reason for them to be in this world.
However, these strengths usually need time and “space” to become fruitful. And such strengths get blocked under pressure and in certain environments.
So take your time, dear introvert, to learn more about your strengths… and use them more often. You’ll get more energy by doing that than blaming others, situations, and the environments that drain your energy.
Keep walking your transformational path and put aside the pressure to act as an extrovert just because others said so or expect you to.
There’s no one to compete with while building your own Hero Journey. And no one else can do it for you either. There are many famous introverts who achieved by trusing themselves, their strengths and ideas.
Be true to yourself, and believe that better situations will show up in your life when you make decisions with integrity.
Back to you
- We stepped into a new year: how would you like it to be?
- What can you do—or no do—to make that happen?
- What reminders you can put in place to help you during this journey?
We’ve been in your shoes
We understand you. And we’re here to help if you’d like some support along the way.
To practice shifting your perspective and challenging your assumptions, the book Meeting With My Self: Self-Coaching Questions That Invite Wisdom In by Gabriela Casineanu can help. There’s even a workbook you can use to capture your answers. Both available on Amazon.
