Lesson One

you will need ...

Welcome to the Introverts Self Discovery Course. You're going to find out some wonderful things about yourself and how to win, just the way you are. You've come to a place where introverts are loved, honored and understood.

You'll learn about many famous, successful people who have used their introversion to advantage, people just like you. Learning from the lives of real people is inspirational and informative.

You'll also begin to develop a vocabulary or "language" for explaining yourself to yourself and others. This is more important than it seems. Although we process the world from the inside out, all language ultimately becomes self-talk and that's why it is so important to have ways of explaining who you are and why you are the way you are ... with no apologies.

Think how much the world opens up to a three year old who is putting whole sentences together. All of a sudden, you can ask for what you want and be understood. It's like magic. That's how you'll feel at the end of this course. That's the magic of language.

You'll need:

  a quiet place to do your weekly lesson; hopefully a place with a door that closes -- where you won't be interrupted

  access to a computer

  a journal -- this can be electronic, as in WORD files, or it can be a notebook you keep at your desk. I recommend a new journal in either case. Open a new file for this course or buy a new notebook. Since I'll want you to email me some homework, keeping notes in a WORD file is efficient.

  keep my email address handy and feel free to email me at any time you feel like it. I answer my emails late at night, when it's quiet and I can concentrate. I usually answer all my mail within a twenty four hour period. My email address is parklanenancy@hotmail.com It is always at the bottom of the page as well.

  Please turn in all your feedback at the same time, when finished with everything, so I will have a chance to review it before you begin lesson two. I will send you the feedback via email within twenty four hours. There is a "real life" section in each lesson, things to practice in daily life. Please comment on this in your feedback. For example, this week for the real life section, I did this, thought that and felt these things.

  You can also email at any time during the week in an informal way, with additional questions and comments. As an intuitive, I am flexible and open in the learning process. You will find enough structure to make sense, but no more than necessary. I believe that learning is an open ended loop. We approach the subject from a variety of different directions and move energy along that will continue to expand, really, for the rest of your life. You are treating yourself to the beginning of a fantastic jouirney, a never ending journey, into the Self!

what do you think?

Please think for a few moments about the following questions and write out your answers before proceeding to Part Two. To do this, you can either journal on your desk or open a WORD document and key in your answers. Since you'll be sending them to me, using a WORD doc might be easier. Then you can copy and paste it into an email or send it as an attachment.

 What makes you think you are an introvert?

 

 What are the things that you think characterize an introvert?

 What reactions have you gotten to being an introvert?

 Are you comfortable with yourself as an introvert?

 Do you have any positive role models of introverts that you admire?

 

please react

1.   A mode of psychological orientation where the movement of energy is toward the inner world. * [Jung Lexicon, Daryl Sharp]

2.   A person who tends to shrink from social contacts and to become preoccupied with their own thoughts. [Define Ansme]

3.   Turned toward the inner world of symbols, ideals and forms. An introvert, or introverted type, is one whose dominant function is inwardly focused. Introverts are inclined to express themselves, using their primary function, indirectly, through inference and nuance. [TypeLogic]

4.   By Myers-Briggs' definition, an introvert derives energy from his or her internal world of emotions and ideas, while an extrovert draws from the outside world of people and activities for spiritual sustenance. [CIO.com]

5.   Introverts often: have quiet energy; listen more than talk; think quietly inside my head; think, then act; feel comfortable being alone; prefer to work "behind-the-scenes" ; have good powers of concentration; prefer to focus on one thing at a time; are self-contained and reserved. [Personality Type]

6.   An introvert’s essential stimulation is from within the inner world of ideas and impression, thoughts and reflections. Introverts literally draw energy from attending to the inner world. The bias is toward reflection. Introverts need to do things by themselves so they can turn inward and reflect and thereby rebuild their energy. Introverts think things through in order to understand them. Introverts process internally first, and then come out with the conclusion. They prefer written communication. Introverts may prefer privacy, being with a one or two others or being alone. Introverts give depth to life. In America: Extraversion 60-65%; introversion: 35-40%. [InSpirit Resources]

7.   Introverts take a break and head for the beach, watch TV, or read a book. They are drained by social situations, and keep a few close friends. I's can be life of party but find it draining. They like alone time, and thinking before they speak. I's energy is more directed inward (the world within), towards their own thoughts, ideas, perceptions, and reactions. Yet, according to Jung I's are more into the subjective experience, the world within (rather than the external world), and see the external world as somewhat threatening. Crowds to not energize them. They trust their own judgments and perceptions more than those of others, and will think an idea before expressing it. Isabel Briggs Myers (1995: 56) says Introverts are "more at home in the world of ideas than in the world of people and things." Introverts live in the inner world of thoughts and ideas. [New Mexico State University, College of Business Administration & Economics]

8.   Keirsey suddenly decided to call introverts "reserved persons" (?): On the other hand, Reserved persons (ISFJs, INTJs, etc.) can be said to draw energy from a different source. They prefer to pursue solitary activities, working quietly alone with their favored project or hobby, however simple or complicated it may be, and such isolated activities are what seem to charge their batteries. Indeed, the Reserved can remain only so long in contact with others before their energies are depleted. If required by their job, family, or social responsibilities to be expressive or outgoing -- to make a great interpersonal effort -- they are soon exhausted and need alone time in quiet places to rest and to restore their depleted energy. Thus, if Reserved persons go to a noisy cocktail party, after a short period of time -- say, half an hour -- they are ready to go home. For them, the party is over, their batteries are drained. This is not to say that the Reserved do not like to be around people. They enjoy socializing with others, but at large social gatherings or professional meetings they tend to seek out a quiet corner where they can chat with one or two other persons.... There is some social bias toward expressiveness in American social life, but Reserved persons have no reason to feel that there is anything wrong with them, and should be sure to provide adequately for their legitimate desire for quiet time to themselves. [Keirsey Personality Type]

9. [Introversion] is normally characterized by a hesitant, reflective, retiring nature that keeps itself to itself, shrinks from objects, is always slightly on the defensive and prefers to hide behind mistrustful scrutiny. [Extraversion] is normally characterized by an outgoing, candid, and accommodating nature that adapts easily to a given situation, quickly forms attachments, and, setting aside any possible misgivings, will often venture forth with careless confidence into unknown situations. In the first case obviously the subject, and in the second the object, is all-important.[The Problem of the Attitude-Type, CW 7, par. 62. ] [Sharp on Jung]

10. Visit MorrisCat for a list of attributes.

real life

This week, think about all the ways you may have been looking at your introversion as a problem. Every time you bump up against a reaction where you are judgmental about yourself, ask yourself what is right about you rather than what is wrong about you. Consider this ... do you have a right to be this way? Do you really understand that introversion is a legitimate personality type? This course is going to be very liberating!

This week, give yourself permission to spend more time alone.

     For more information, please visit www.theintrovertzcoach.com