I’ve Got the Power

 

I found out recently that I am an introvert. I had never looked at myself this way until I realized I got actual anxiety from having to approach people. It is weird because I am okay with public speaking unlike our wonderful speaker from the video above. The difference is having to approach a bunch of strangers, and being in big crowds.

After viewing the TED Talk from above it helped me realize everyone needs stimuli that works for them. As she says there are ½ or 1/3 of the population who are considered introverts. Since this is half of the world’s population it doesn’t make sense to force people to work as extroverts. She says that after doing some research they found, “introverts get better grades and are more knowledgeable.” I would argue this is because introverts take the time to reflect on what we are taught and turn it around. Which makes it confusing why most schools, and work places require people to work as extroverts, because it puts a damper on how half of the population works best.

My job has all employees take a top strengths test. My top strength is intellectual. In each strength is tells you how to best use the strength for working. One of the suggestions it gives for my top strength is to take time to be alone and think. As she says in the TED Talk, “Solitude matters.” She also says, “the 7 years it took for her to write a book were bliss because she was reading writing, and thinking, and researching.” Though my job is public speaking, and I love it, I prefer the other side of preparing for the presentation. I love research, and figuring out the best way to present the information I learned to other people. 

At the end she gives a list of things we need to start doing. The main one I think I need to listen to is unplugging from the world. I am not usually a nature person, but it is because of the bugs. I think it sounds nice to just unplug from the world and get away with my thoughts. Though sometimes overthinking things when I am alone is a problem for me. I often times have problems falling asleep because my mind is racing. This is a curse of the introverted mind I suppose. My husband is more of an extrovert, and shuts his mind down and falls asleep very quickly most nights. He has a hard time understanding my dilemma.

I took a semester off of school, and actually found myself missing it because I truly enjoy the learning of it. I enjoyed watching this TED Talk as it helped with learning more about myself, and how I can use my introvert ways to help those around me.

-C