Why My Mission is to Empower Introverts to Quietly Thrive, Unapologetically
Growing up, I was very shy. I can't tell you how often I heard "cat got your tongue?" from well-meaning but misguided adults.
I wasn't confident speaking up, didn't know what to say, and most times, I wanted to fade into the background.
Our neighbors, Bob and Cathy, were a lovely, friendly young couple who befriended my parents not long after moving next door. Bob was funny and engaging and desperately wanted to engage with me. But, unfortunately, I was young, maybe 4 or 5, and because I was so shy, I refused to talk to him. The poor man tried everything outside of standing on his head to get me to speak with him, but I stubbornly refused as I simply watched him in my youthful fascination.
I wasn't afraid of him, in fact, I thought he was a lot of fun and one of the best adults I knew! I wanted to talk to him, but I chose not to for years.
Even going to McDonald's was an uncomfortable task for me! I'd hide behind my mom and whisper what I wanted (which was always the same thing!), so she could relay my order to the bored teenager behind the counter.
As I grew up, I eventually lost my shyness, but I'm still relatively quiet in groups and around people I don't know all that well.
And while I happen to LOVE being a hardcore introvert, I didn't always feel this way about myself. So it was a long road to accepting and embracing who I am at the core.
By the way, being shy is not the same as being introverted (a common misconception!). While they can certainly come as a package deal, they're two distinct traits.
Growing up both shy and introverted meant hearing comments about how quiet I was (which only made me feel worse!) and comments from teachers about being well-behaved but needing to participate more in class 🙄.
As I navigated high school, college, and my 20s, I battled my quiet nature and tried to balance my desire for a quiet night in with wanting to fit in with the active social groups around me.
I was so out of touch with owning my introverted self that I lied in my interview for my first corporate job! I told them I had no problems with public speaking (when in reality, I HATED it!).
Although, I have to admit, that turned out to be a good thing, because guess what I had to do...a lot of public speaking! Ha! So, I overcame that fear and gained confidence in doing something I never thought I could do because I was quiet and introverted.
As I got older, I started to settle into myself and grew tired of beating myself up and constantly feeling like I wasn't good enough or that I needed to be someone else to be accepted.
I became inspired to learn more about introversion, and in doing so, I dropped the life-long beliefs that something was wrong with me. Instead, I understood that I wasn't alone in how I prefer to live more quietly and have no need for large groups of superficial friends.
The more I understood, the less I pretended to be more outgoing and extroverted. As I began to embrace and accept what makes me awesome as an introvert, I became more relaxed and confident.
Surprisingly this was when I started to find it much easier to go into social situations and easily talk with others. I no longer felt embarrassed by my solo hobbies or that a Friday night reading a good book is much more exciting than dancing the night away at a local bar or club.
In embodying myself, I dropped the pretenses and started living my life more authentically.
After getting my coaching certification in 2016 and opening my coaching practice, it took me a few years to hear an inner calling to help other introverts on this path. I found my purpose when I finally paid attention to those inner nudges.
My introversion fuels my mission
Because of my lifelong journey (hating being quiet > faking a more outgoing personality > learning and embracing my true self), I found an inner fire to educate other introverts and help them to find peace and confidence within themselves in simply being themselves.
My mission is to inspire and empower introverts to quietly thrive, unapologetically.
I want introverts everywhere to understand what it means to be an introvert, so they, too, can shed the decades of conditioning that has led them to believe their introversion is something they need to fix or overcome (NOT TRUE!).
Because when you understand that you don't need to change and begin to see the gifts in who you are, as you are, then you begin to prioritize your well-being unapologetically, and you thrive!
If you feel inspired to join me on this mission to quietly thrive, unapologetically, join my email community, The Quietly Thriving Society, for an introvert-friendly and empowering space. Each week you'll receive insight into why you are awesome exactly as you are, plus some practical tips to take action from a more intentional place, occasional freebies, and insider discounts for working with me if you ever feel called to do so!