Affirmations for Introverts

I'm all about self-affirmations this week. I covered affirmations for pessimists on another blog, now I'm thinking about affirmations for introverts . Self-affirmations, when spoken aloud, can sound kind of silly. OK, sometimes they sound a little silly even when you say them silently to yourself. But if we can permit ourselves a Stuart Smalley moment now and then, affirmations can come in handy to remind us of things we might already know but forget in moments of insecurity. They can help us hold our ground when others are trying to force their values on us, and they can give us that last little push we need to open our mouths and assert ourselves. I particularly like and often use the old standby "Different strokes for different folks." A few others, for various circumstances: Just because I'm quiet doesn't mean I have nothing to say. What works for you? Thanks for visiting!

The Quiet Traveler I was first made aware of both the numbers of introverts in America, and the pent-up feeling many of us have of being misunderstood, when I wrote an essay for the travel website World Hum about being an introverted traveler. If you're a world traveler, I'm sure you've heard other travelers insist that travel is "all about meeting people." In my first essay, " Confessions of an Introverted Traveler ", I admitted to traveling for reasons other than meeting people. I followed that up with Six Tips for Introverted Travelers ". Now I have created an audio slideshow, The Quiet Traveler about the sort of things I remember when I travel. My book, The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World , is available for pre-order on Amazon .

The Power of Introverts: A Manifesto for Quiet Brilliance Do you enjoy having time to yourself, but always feel a little guilty about it? Then Susan Cain’s “Quiet : The Power of Introverts” is for you. It’s part book, part manifesto. We live in a nation that values its extroverts – the outgoing, the lovers of crowds – but not the quiet types who change the world. Cook: This may be a stupid question, but how do you define an introvert? Cain: Not a stupid question at all! It’s also important to understand that introversion is different from shyness. Cook: You argue that our culture has an extroversion bias. Cain: In our society, the ideal self is bold, gregarious, and comfortable in the spotlight. In my book, I travel the country – from a Tony Robbins seminar to Harvard Business School to Rick Warren’s powerful Saddleback Church – shining a light on the bias against introversion. Cook: How does this cultural inclination affect introverts? Cain: Many introverts feel there’s something wrong with them, and try to pass as extroverts. Cain: Yes.

Introverts unite! (Quietly.) I am an introvert . And, like my fellow introverts, I am sorely misunderstood. Common wisdom says that America is a nation of extroverts and here, introversion is stigmatized. Parents worry about children who would rather play alone in their rooms than join the gang in the playground. Phooey. I'm not shy , socially awkward or in any way (that I know of) socially inept. But the difference between extroverts and introverts is not that the former are good at socializing and the latter aren't. That describes me perfectly. I have been shamed many times for my loathing for the telephone (not uncommon for introverts), for my reliance on online interaction (ditto), and for my desire to leave parties shortly after arriving. We introverts often try to push against our nature , having bought into the myth that extroversion is better and that it's the American way. Quietly. Thanks for visiting! My book, The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World , is available for pre-order on Amazon .

JENNIFER KAHNWEILER - Jennifer Kahnweiler