I became a Certified Crystal Practitioner in 2022. Part of this program involved studying the chakra system, and I fell in love with it! Understanding how our energy works both within and outside our body is the foundation for our vitality.

While there are undoubtedly common characteristics of the chakra system across all living things, everybody's system is unique. And what's amazing is that our bodies communicate the status of our chakras with us daily. By understanding the signs that indicate imbalances in your energy flow, you can take action to align and heal it.

This is particularly important for introverts because our extrovert-biased society has conditioned us to reject our introverted nature to feel worthy of love, acceptance, success, and abundance.

Back when I worked a corporate 9-5 job, the team I worked on would gather for an annual Summit to map out projects for the following year. This was a multi-day event where they'd essentially sequester us at some off-the-grid hotel. That meant breakfast, lunch, and dinner were eaten together (along with full days of meetings!).

It was exhausting.

I liked my coworkers, but by the time dinner rolled around, the last thing I wanted was to eat dinner with them!! I would've much preferred to order room service and enjoy a quiet dinner by myself in my room while enjoying a movie of my choice.

I needed that time to recharge to have sufficient energy for the next full day of meetings.

As a kid, I remember meeting other kids in my neighborhood or school and always finding a few where we hit things off and became fast friends.

As an introvert, I never had a huge circle of friends. I didn't need it or want it because I preferred those few friends that understood me since we shared so much in common.

One benefit of being an introvert is that we connect deeply with people. So while we have a smaller social circle, those within it tend to be those deeper, more meaningful relationships.

For my first "real" job out of college, I was a consultant for a software company. I traveled half the month (not as glamorous as it sounds), visiting clients, giving presentations or training, and going to dinner with my colleagues and clients.

I was in the office fielding support calls for the rest of the month. That meant taking call after call from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Portions of each day were non-stop calls: as soon as I'd hang up from one, the next call was already ringing.

My coworkers were right out of college and new to our town, just like me. So, everyone bonded! My coworkers were my roommates and my entire social circle.

Between living with roommates and someone always having a party, I rarely had alone time.

Ahhh...summer! The time of year when everyone wants to be outside to soak up the sun, slow down, and have some fun!

For introverts, this can be a challenging time because it's also when everyone feels the urge to throw a party, have a BBQ or gather around the campfire. Of course, introverts don't hate all parties, but a summer filled with never-ending social events is enough to send even the most confident introvert into hiding!

But, if you're already feeling exhausted looking at your social obligations for the next few months, let's explore some ways to navigate the social scene while protecting your energy and honoring your desires.

I'll be honest...I love a good affirmation. It's empowering and inspiring, but simply repeating an affirmation to yourself all day long isn't going to do much for you.

If you've been swimming in the personal development pool for a while, then you're no stranger to the concept of affirmations. In fact, if you spend more than about 5 minutes scrolling Instagram, you'll spot more than a few sexy affirmations to adopt for yourself.

The idea is that if you repeat these oh-so-lovely phrases to yourself, you'll make that your reality over time! And, for some, maybe that actually happens.

But, for most, you forget about them, or you set your phone to remind you, and after a while, you barely glance at the reminder.

Networking gets a bad rap. Most people see it as something they should do but not something they want to do. And, for most introverts, the discomfort factor is STRONG!! But what if it didn't have to be something you dreaded, and it became something you genuinely enjoyed?

When you learn to approach networking in a way that honors your energy and aligns with your introverted advantages, you benefit in ways that you may not have previously considered.

I'm a hardcore (and proud!) introvert, and I LOVE networking, but this wasn't always the case.