From CristinaSkyBox
Have you ever being embarrassed of your quietness or shyness? Have you ever being envious of more outspoken charismatic people?
In spite of zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas, often too much of a premium is put on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking. As Susan Cain points out, “Introversion – along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness – is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology. Introverts living in the Extrovert Ideal are like women in a man’s world, discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are. Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we’ve turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform…”.
However don’t despair if you are quiet and introverted by nature. Be yourself and share your ideas as powerfully as you can. You don’t need to be loud to spread your ideas – ideas can be shared quietly, in writing or blogging. The trick is in learning to be yourself, honouring your own style and personality and not allowing yourself to be swept up by the prevailing norms.
Remember: “Everyone shines, given the right lighting.”
(based on “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain)
THE END
Otrazhenie 
A real Otrazhenie post and another with substance. Spot on, be yourself. Being confident in yourself does not mean a loud voice. Those who only possess loud voices will lack your longevity in success, however you may wish to define success. MM 🍀
Thanks for your insightful comment. Totally agree with you on that 🙂
Insightful. And being somewhere in the middle is also troublesome. Like me 🙂
Whenever things are the same, it gets adjusted soon, just a snap of time is enough. But it cant stay together,Same poles repels, Different poles stick together, like that of a magnet. When there are differences, it will take time to adjust, to become comfortable with each other.
As long as there is some love from both the extremes, differences will be embraced.
Very well said, satzie. “As long as there is some love from both the extremes, difference will be embraced.” Such differences are complementary by nature. 🙂
True. 🙂
Great post. And yes, it is so much easier to just be me 🙂
🙂
This is empowerment…introverts need this!
Totally agree with you on that 🙂
I really enjoyed this post. I read this to my daughter and we watched the video afterwards. She is an introvert and I am not. I am a stay at home father so she watches me interact with others on a daily basis. She sometime tries to imitate me. I can tell she is not comfortable with it. I tell her to just be herself, but sometimes it helps to hear it from another source. Thanks!
You are amazing father. I like the way you talked to your daughter, without ‘imposing’ your personality or your way of communicating with others. All my children are a bit shy and quiet and they felt a bit uncomfortable about that. After I read Susan’s book, I had a very good chat with them about that and showed them that video. I felt that it made them feel much happier with themselves. It helped them to appreciate their personalities and stop feeling bad about their shyness.
Excellent post dear it is simply wonderful and I somehow know you have the right temperament and rebellion both together to write this wonderful post
simply loved it
Love your invisibly visible personality
Thanks, Ajay. 🙂
🙂 🙂
Reblogged this on Ajaytao 2010 and commented:
Most brilliant post by dear Otrazhenie
Reblogged this on Expanding Vistas | A Photography Blog and commented:
Short but to the point. I enjoyed reading this.
Very good! Stephen Hawkins is right!
He truly is. 🙂
This is a hot topic right now– I wish people had been talking about it, and assuring me that introversion had its strengths, when I was young. I’ve often wondered if bloggers are mostly introverts, loving an outlet where they can be heard without interruption!
Very good point, KerryCan. I wish I read Susan’s book when I was in my teens. It would have helped me so much to understand myself better and learn to appreciate my personality more. For me blogging is a very special outlet for meaningful communication which unfortunately is often lacking in the ‘world of small talk’. It is not only about being heard – it is also about hearing other bloggers and exchanging deeper thoughts and insights.
I know. When I was young there was always, “something wrong with me,” because of my quiet.
The same with me and all my children – in all their school reports there is only one ‘area of concern’ – not speaking up in group discussions. This personality trait must be genetic 🙂
Reblogged this on How my children schooled me. and commented:
I have been thinking about this all day.
@”quiet and introverted by nature.” – my beloved hubby who’s a rocket & satellite scientist is like this… but he’s extroverted and effusive with his close & loved ones… 🙂
– – –
have a great weekend & friendly hugs…<3
Very interesting point, Melanie. For a long time I could not understand whether I myself am extroverted or introverted, as in certain environments I can be very chatty and outgoing (e.g. with my close family or friends), while in other environments I can be very shy and quiet. Susan Cain’s book was a real eye-opener for me, particularly her definition/description of introverted people: “Introverts, in contrast, may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express themselves better in writing than in conversation. They tend to dislike conflict. Many have a horror of small talk, but enjoy deep discussions.”
Also, like with any other personality traits, we are all somewhere along the introversion/extroversion spectrum with only a few people close to ‘extreme’ points.
@” I could not understand whether I myself am extroverted or introverted, as in certain environments I can be very chatty and outgoing (e.g. with my close family or friends), while in other environments I can be very shy and quiet.” – same here… 🙂
I am sociable and communicative by nature, but also reserved and silent, so my hubby and I complete ourselves within a balance that has been lasting for 35 years… 🙂
Wow, 35 years!!! Well done. Glad for both of you 🙂
merci, Madame-O! 🙂 wish you lots of happy years, too…<3
Thanks 🙂
Mr Otrazhenie, I have nominated you for the WordPress Family Award. To see the details on this just pop on over to http://meticulousmick.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/the-wordpress-family-award/ Hope you are having a good Sunday. MM 🍀
Thanks a lot, MM. Much appreciated 🙂
Thank you so much. I really needed to hear this today. It is lonely to feel lost in a crowd because you dont communicate similarly.
I know that feeling very well 😦 Glad that you liked this post 🙂
Beautifully put… My husband just finished a book by Susan Cain on this very thing: “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”
Loved this book. I’ve used a few quotes from it in my post. 🙂
Reblogged this on ulearn2bu and commented:
I love these posts from Otrazhenie
wonderful one dear… I am feeling special now! Introverts have difficult time just trying to explain themselves to others or just conveying the feelings, but it is so worth it no matter the outcomes… Thank you so much for sharing this with me!!
You are very special 🙂 Glad that you liked this post 🙂