In the June 2007 issue of Writer's Digest I read an article titled "Moth's Guide to Schmoozing" by Christine King. I was very excited to read this article as I felt it described me perfectly. As much as I enjoyed the conference in Utah, I wondered how the event would have changed if I had read the article first. I imagined that I could have walked into the room, comfortable with my own discomfort. Maybe, knowing that half the people in the room were feeling the same way, I would have spent more time approaching others and making new acquaintances. Maybe I could have convinced myself to be more confident about my own writing and more willing to talk about it to others.
I also discovered a website shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com. They even have a link to a test to see if you really are an introvert Online Meyers Briggs Test. I love how they say that being an introvert is okay, in fact, it is part of what makes us unique, and we can learn to sell ourselves and market our work. I suppose if we were all extroverts, there would be fewer books and works of art. Because creating is one of those solitary things, best done in the otherworlds of one's own mind.
10 comments:
Hello Stephanie!
I ran across your blog using the "next blog" button.
I enjoyed reading through a few of your posts and it re-energized me (or re-focused me). I recently decided that I want to write "when I grow up" which is basically right now at this point in my life. I haven't published a single thing, but there are traces throughout my life where that calling was very plainly seen.
I journaled for years in my late teens through my 20's. Every now and then I'll re-read some of it. Recently, after I made the decision that I want to write, I re-read in my journal where I specifically said I should be a writer, etc.
In any event, I really enjoyed reading your blog and wanted to provide you some encouragement to keep it up.
Take care and God bless!
Joe.
Thank your for the encouragement Joe. That is what some of us live for is the positive feedback :) Keep up with your own writing. As for me I've decided never to grow up so I might as well do the writing now.
Hi ya Stephanie!
And hey that is awesome that Joe may be joining the ranks of us wannabe writers. You can do it Joe!
As for your post today Stephanie - I don't know WHAT I am. I CAN be very outgoing ... in my performing, in my photography. BUT, I have to really work myself up for being out in public. Sometimes I even feel sick to my stomach at the prospect of being out and having to 'schmooze' with people I don't know - heck even with people I do know sometimes!
It takes work, but it is possible to 'pretend' long enough to make it real. I love the story of Carey Grant: He was nerdy and introverted, but he so desired to be gallant and debonair. So he decided to PRETEND. He pretended every day until one day, he realized he was no longer pretending ... he had BECOME.
I love that story and hold it close to my heart because it gives me hope and it gives me the strength to keep on pretending!
Go check out the test I gave the link for. The thing with introverts, is we can be wonderful performers. I love to sing and act, but it terrifies me to actually do it. I love to teach and have been told that I am a great teacher, but no one knows how physically ill I get before I have to do any sort of public performance or even venture out into an unfamiliar place.
As introverts, we learn to cope and learn to function - highly sometimes - in an extrovert world. But there is always that part of us that needs to be by ourselves and gather our inner strength before we face the world again.
Oh, oh, oh! This is so great. Just what I need to hear. I'm all these things, too, and I deal with the fears and shyness in this way exactly--acting out the part of someone much more brave. By doing that, I can teach, present, and approach people in a social setting that my inner whisper is telling me I can't.
I find it much easier to write than to speak. More time to make sense I guess. This is why I reach out to young people in my books--in the hope they, too, can overcome hang-ups.
Ladies, here's Tristi on her soap box again, but any time you have an inner voice telling you that you can't do something, that's not coming from God. God gives us courage, God gives us strength, and if we're getting whispers that we can't do something or we aren't good enough to do something, we need to ignore it and forge on ahead. We all have our weaknesses and we all have our limitations, but we can learn to work around them and to overcome them. Don't believe anyone who tells you that you can't achieve or be successful -- they don't have your best interests at heart. You are daughters of God! What greater stamp of approval can there be?
Anne-I find it easier to write because sometimes I feel it is the only way I can get a word in edgewise. There are so many things going on around me, writing is a way for me to find some quiet.
Tristi-I always find you very inspiring when you get on your soapbox. I am lucky to be surrounded by people who believe in me and push me to be better. And it certainly does help to remember that we are all God's children.
I'm glad you find me inspiring and not down-right annoying. :)
Hi...trolling around LDS women blogs & ran across this.
This post reminded me of a book, I want to say the Title is, "The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child." We are in the middle of a move right now so I can't go grab it and look b/c its packed. It is a great eye opener about what introversion is-the author defines it as being energised by being alone, rather than by being around people. It completely separates the concepts of shyness/social anxiety from introversion and brings out dozens of benefits to being introspective & introverted. Worth reading for any introverts, I say!
If you find the book, let me know what the title is. I'd love to read it.
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