Oh, how many times have I wanted to say that. 🤭
Today there aren’t too many words in my blog………………..but there are lots of pictures. Because yesterday I went on the most amazing walk, a bit of training for summer trekking with the orange rucksack. And this walk was just too amazing not to share, you must do it if ever you are near here in the Springtime. Northern England at it’s finest! But why did I go on my walk………………because I wanted to scream the above!
If there are two groups of people that can drain the living daylights out of me they are ‘gobby’ extraverts and negative people. I like to give both a wide berth. But sometimes you can’t escape them and the result for a positive, quiet, happy little person like me is the need for a day like this. ‘Gobby’ by the way, is northern English dialect for someone who likes the sound of their own voice and talks too much!
And why did I want to scream the above!? Because I’m an introvert! Possibly one of the most misunderstood group of people there are………………….if you don’t know what one is then you need to read this book.
The book by Susan Cain is called ‘Quiet’, it’s an amazing book I read years ago ……………………. basically it explains me…………….. if you were ever wondering what makes me tick or you think I’m a bit odd, read it. It only took me around 45 years to work myself out and realise it was just cool, fine and ok to be like me.
If you are an extrovert and have any introverts in your life please read it. Because you may just understand them better…………….they are not sad, they are not depressed, they’ve not fallen out with you……………they just want you to get out of their face and shut up for a while because you might just be ‘doing their head in’! Be quiet!
What you might find as an introvert is that throughout all your professional life……………mine was in banking……………you are surrounded by extroverts who recognise your intelligence (introverts are often highly intelligent), put you on a leadership and management programme, and then spend all their time trying to make you an extrovert! It won’t work however, it’s a bit like square peg and round hole……….if you are an introvert, you are an introvert. They are still trying to force me in that round hole now and have not yet realised that it’s just not going to work! 😆
Can an introvert be a leader? …………………….Yes! A large proportion of leaders are extroverts. Why, well just because they talk a lot really. Even Harvard have now recognised the power of the introvert. There have been many amazing introvert leaders: Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Isaac Newton, Ghandi, Chopin, Barrack Obama. Why do they make great leaders………………………they listen instead of talk!
How do you know if you are an introvert and not just odd. 😂 Well, you are likely to do all these things (I do them all in abundance, there is no doubt whatsoever that I’m 110% introvert if that’s possible):
- I prefer one to one conversations
- I’m more likely, and I prefer, to express my inner most feelings in writing
- I crave solitude
- I hate gossip and chit chat but will spend hours in an in depth conversation with someone about things that matter to me: books, nature, art, music etc.
- I celebrate things on a small scale………………NEVER throw me a surprise party, I’d hate it! I have a close knit circle of amazing friends
- I’m the world’s greatest listener and am extremely softly spoken, kind and compassionate
- I’m not into wealth, fame or status………………I just like love, hugs, animals, cake, books, wine, and chocolate (in any order) 😆
- I dislike conflict in every walk of life………..I don’t hate anyone, if you not my type or you’ve upset me I just walk away, I don’t waste my time fighting
- I get engrossed in what I’m doing……….focus and dedication is my middle name
- I’m ultra sensitive – I feel everything on an emotional level, I have empathy overload! I’m usually to be found either crying or laughing!
- I love a night out and a party, so long as I’m not the centre of attention, and I really enjoy myself, but afterwards I need a day like today to recover from people, noise and extrovert overload
- I can spend 10 minutes in the company of someone and that’s all I need to know them better than they know themselves! I see through everything………..my boys hate this…………….you can’t lie to Mum!
So if you do just some of those things you might not be as odd as some people think you are. 😂 You might just be an introvert. But chill because that’s just fine. You can still be a leader if you want to be, you can still be brave too. Introverts are more likely to be brave………….bravery comes from self confidence and facing fears………..nothing else. An introvert will have to draw on their self-confidence and face fears every day in a predominantly extrovert world. An extrovert however is often gobby and talkative because of the need to be heard and a lack of self confidence and bravery.
So here you go…….photos above and below (in order of walking)…………..the High Wheeldon, Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill circular. 14km and 700m of ascent just to prove that Northern England is truly gorgeous in the Springtime. But don’t tell too many people……………….let them all go South to London and leave this little corner for introverts like me.
There were lambs, flowers in abundance, cows, beer, cake, Yorkshire tea, roast beef sandwiches from home, a book in my rucksack, mud, blue sky, green fields, views, tinkling steams, clouds…………………………………an absolute introvert’s paradise!!!
This introvert has batteries fully recharged and is ready for this next week’s onslaught of ‘noise’ and extroverts! Enjoy the photos!
