Introvert Pride

You may recall the Me Too protests that have swept across the globe over the last few years, with hundreds (if not thousands) marching in support of victims of sexual assault and harassment.  What I often wonder is if introverts the world over will one day organize similar protests to bring awareness to their being marginalized in  society.  Surely, it's not in our nature to draw attention to ourselves in this fashion. Large crowds? Fiery speeches? Exposure on TV and social media? Sounds like an entrovert's dream.  But when it concerns a cause about which introverts are avidly passionate, we do have what it takes to come out of our shells and demand to be heard.  Introverts can, in some ways, sympathize with those the Me Too movement is attempting to give a voice to.  In fact, abuse comes in many forms, and many introverts have been subjected to harsh criticism -- if not flat-out bullying -- just for keeping to themselves and showing reluctance to participate in social activiti

Call any introvert words like "nerd" or "geek" and you're bound to get a surprising response -- that is, if you intended to come off as insulting.  Indeed, we are likely to reply with a zealous "thanks!" But why would introverts like me not take offense to being labeled a nerd?  After all, in pop culture -- namely sitcoms like Saved by the Bell and Family Matters -- nerds are portrayed as losers who spend all their time studying and who couldn't land a date to save their lives.  It's because we recognize that our intellectual inclinations -- devouring books, writing prolifically, consuming educational films and documentaries, virtually living at museums -- makes us unique. We can't help but to seek intellectual stimulation any way we can. Our curious minds demand it; if not, we get bored and lose total focus.  That's not to say the average person doesn't do these things every now and then. But most introverts make a pastime -- a way

Introverts are, by their very nature, highly pensive. This, as introverts know all too well, can be a double-edged sword. Living in our thoughts can be a great thing if all is going great in our lives, but if we find ourselves harping on unfavorable past or future events, it can do a number on our psyche.  In this post, I'd like to focus on one particular way introverts can wield their introspective nature for the betterment of their and others' lives. Truthfully, this tip can apply to and bear fruit for just about anyone -- not just introverts. But since introverts have such active minds, they should have an easier time getting "in the zone" than those who don't exactly call themselves deep thinkers.  Gratitude had been proven to boost happiness in those who practice it regularly. Those who take a few minutes out of their busy day to notice and reflect on the things and people they're thankful for experience more positive emotions. In fact, studies show that

If you were to ask most people at my company whether they'd want to retain the ability to work from home post-pandemic, they would give you an unequivocal "yes." And that includes extroverts whom, though they miss the in-person interactions characteristic of a traditional workplace setting, recognize the perks of working remotely, like working in one's pajamas, saving on gas, being able to get out of bed and walk right to work, and in some cases even spending more time with family. It's plain to see why introverts would be the biggest (maybe not the loudest, but definitely biggest) supporters of this kind of arrangement: We can leverage our preference for communicating in writing (via email, Teams, IM, etc.) -- which affords us the opportunity to think through what we want to say --without feeling as much pressure to be "quick" on our feet. It's nice not to have to attend lengthy in-person meetings where nothing gets resolved. Phone/Teams meetings ca