Often it’s the introverts who think on how to solve problems, and try to act on them. But today we live in such a noisy world, that sometimes the quiet ones are ignored. Which they probably like! But don’t think that just because someone is quiet and doesn’t want to shout and holler on social media, that there is nothing worth reading on a blog or website. Did you know that some doctors prescribe drugs for teenagers who are shy? What’s wrong with being shy, for goodness sake? In fact, a few teenagers even got side effects from said drugs, and committed suicide – all because they did not want to fit in with a loud society. Tragic.
Read The Escape Manual for Introverts! This illustrated book offers silly to sincere escape plans and bizarre excuses, guiding you through different scenarios with friends, family and strangers. Whether you’re trapped on a plane (seated next to a chatterbox) or hosting a dinner party with people who won’t just leave, Katie Vaz has the solution. One is that you have ‘book club’ (nobody has to know it’s just yourself attending!)
The world seems to get louder and louder. From people shouting in the street to women screaming as they greet and kiss you, to game show contestants who blast out your eardrums if they win something (compare that to contestants on the old Bullseye game show – you would not even know whether they won or lost the speedboat they had no need for, which is likely why repeats are so popular).
We need peace, in order to live wisely. Writer George Michelson Foy was already feeling stressed from all the noise. But one day in New York, he clasped his hands to his ears, as two subway trains screeched into the station at once. He made it a mission that he was going to go off, to find the quietest place on earth. The results became his book Zero Decibels. He already knew that Antarctica is not the most quiet place (screeching albatrosses and boats). He finally found the world’s most quiet place – a lab in the Midwest USA. But when he went in, he didn’t like it. It was so quiet he could hear his heartbeat, and even the sound of his scalp moving across his head! It was then he discovered that it’s not complete quiet we want, it’s the right kind of noise: the rustle of wind in the trees, a purring cat, sweet birdsong.
Quiet is a Superpower is a book by ‘extreme introvert’ Jill Chang on how to untap your potential for success in a loud world. A leading figure in tech philanthrophy, she embraced her quiet nature to accomplish great goals rather than changing herself to fit the norm. Learn how to form good business relationships, while still respecting the extroverted nature of others, and retaining your own comfort within your natural personality.
Let’s start by learning what an introvert is. It’s not someone who is unfriendly. Quite the contrary, introverts tend to be chatty, funny, thoughtful and empathatic. It’s just that they don’t do well in crowds or with people they don’t know. And the thought of taking selfies and shouting about themselves on social media is not their way of doing things, even to promote a business. The main signs of being an introvert according to psychologists are:
- You regularly need ‘alone’ time to recharge your batteries, especially after having been around loud people.
- You prefer to get to know people well before making friends, and have a small ‘tribe’ of those you trust and enjoy spending time with (often this includes animals!), rather than being the life and soul of the party.
- You are often told that you’re ‘too sensitive’ or ‘too quiet’, and people can’t get to know you that well, as you like to keep your solitude and privacy, apart from those you are close friends with.
- You’re not afraid to spend time on your own (this includes not being afraid say to switch the ‘off’ button on the TV). You are quite happy with a little silence now and then, as it helps you relax and think!
- You prefer to work either in a job with just a few team members or are may be self-employed. This means that you have to balance the marketing needs of your business with your natural inclination to not do any marketing (!) And this is where the problems can sometimes lie with businesses and introverts.
Listen to the silence. It has so much to say. The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear. Rumi
All men’s miseries, derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone. Blaise Pascale
When you have nothing to say, say nothing. Charles Caleb Colton
You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens. Mandy Hale
Business Help for Introverts
To be successful in business, does not mean you have to be loud and shouty. These books show that sometimes still waters run deep. And those who use their ears to hear (more than their mouths to shout) often not only have greater success, but tend to do more good for the world too.
- How to Be a Craftivist is a crowdfunded book on how to make a difference, using creativity and gentle persuasion and inspiration, rather than loud activism. In the animal welfare world especially, there are those whose shouty ‘vegan!, vegan!, vegan!’ attitude can have the opposite effect. This book by an award-winning campaigner shows how to respond to injustice with gentle effective protest, rather than aggression (or apathy). A manifesto for respective and contemplative activism, this encourages conversation and collaboration, to be the change we wish to see in the world. Sarah’s craftivism has helped change laws and policies, hearts and minds – all with quiet action, thoughtful principles and practical examples.
- Positively Introverted is a book on how introverts can succeed in a world designed for extroverts. Marzi Wilson shares advice through words and illustrations, on how introverts can focus on successful relationships, mental health and career success.
- Katherine Mackenzie Smith is an introvert who built her own successful business (helping other introverts) after she was fired from a job, for ‘being too quiet’. She writes ‘Just because you’re quiet, doesn’t mean you’re not a force to be reckoned with’. In fact you tend to be think things through more, so are more likely to make a difference than someone who shouts off about everything! She has great tips on her blog on how to become a quietly confident go-getter, without having to resort to being an ‘A-type person’.
A Bedtime Story for Shy Children
Kumo is a lovely story by Kyo Maclear about a bashful cloud, whose only wish is to float unseen. When she’s assigned cloud duty for the day, she feels overwhelmed by self-doubt and her fear of being noticed. But after learning that closing your eyes isn’t a good solution to your troubles, Kumo pulls her fluff together and does her duties – drifting, releasing rain and providing shelter. She meets some new friends along the way and inspires the imagination (and captures the heart) of a small daydreamer like her. A sweetly humorous and lyrical parable, which shows it’s fine to be shy!
