How to Survive as an Introvert in Today’s Information Overload: Online, at Home and Everywhere Else

How can an introvert survive in today’s fast paced, ever changing, dynamic, information dense, ultra-stimulating, media saturated environment?

Here is a clue: It is not necessary to acquiesce to the dominant extroverted way of doing things. The Artful Pause, as I call it, is as critical to our happiness and social survival to develop as twittering, face-booking and being linked-in is to our business success.

The Artful Pause involves 8 simple steps.
1. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe
Practice forgiveness for yourself and others.
Release them to their life as you embrace your own
3. See the humor in life and Laugh out loud
4. Appreciate Beauty. It is all around you.
5. Nurture solitude. Enter into silence without apology
6. Know what you know. Acknowledge yourself for being willing to not know. This is wisdom
7. Give and receive Love.
Be out in Nature whenever you can. Nature softens us and reminds us to keep things in proper perspective

When you engage the creativity inherent in these steps being an introvert in an extrovert-dominated world becomes a delight rather than a fright.

Hi, my name is Martha and I am an introvert.
Contrary to what you may think, I am not shy (even though I have called myself shy for lack of a better description of my inner reality). As I understand it, shyness emanates from social anxiety or nervousness when one is the focus of attention. Not my problem. Growing up in a family of seven children, I loved attention. I am not arrogant. Although my frequent silence may bewilder the extrovert and be misinterpreted as such. I am not selfish or self centered. I have fine social skills and am considered a leader in my world. I am a forward, creative and “outside of the box” thinker.

What makes me an introvert is that I need silence. I need to be by myself to recharge my interpersonal battery. My husband, an extrovert, and I have bounced this difference between us around for 30 years: “You need to be alone must mean you don’t want to be with me!” “No, it just means I need to be alone...big difference”. I have discovered over the years that being with people without pause drains me: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I need to remove myself and be alone to think without the stimulation of the extroverts style. This is not good or bad; right or wrong. It is just the way it is for me. I am completely comfortable being alone.

If you are at all like me you simply love thinking and following a thought into the outer atmosphere. Perhaps, like me, you can sit for hours watching a river as the ice goes out. You are content watching as a tree drops her leaves or as a robin builds her nest. You are actually intrigued and enchanted by such things. The conversations you love to have are about the mysteries of life, the humorous ways life tricks us into lightheartedness and the ways love finds a way to guide us towards joy and forgiveness. Chit-chat may bore you to distraction and turn your thoughts inward to more meaningful (to you) musings.

Here are the steps of the Artful Pause again:
1. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe
Practice forgiveness for yourself and others.
Release them to their life as you embrace your own
3. See the humor in life and Laugh out loud
4. Appreciate Beauty. It is all around you.
5. Nurture solitude. Enter into silence without apology
6. Know what you know. Acknowledge yourself for being willing to not know. This is wisdom
7. Give and receive Love.
Be out in Nature whenever you can. Nature softens us and reminds us to keep things in proper perspective

By following these steps you will embrace your introversion and develop joyful expression of your true nature. You will be relaxed, refreshed and renewed as you enter into personal and business relationships. You will appreciate your self and your unique style of relating. You will be less overwhelmed when in the presence of extroverts because you are more centered in your self.
To learn more about the Artful Pause go to www.CircleofLifeCoach.com