Being an introvert can be tough. We’re constantly evaluating ourselves, who we are and what we want. And, more often than not, we’re focusing on our weaknesses. This generally leads to us settling for a “just now” job until the magical day when we figure out what we really want to do – a day that never seems to come. Or we accept our perceived limitations and take the safe, practical route and get stuck in a job where we feel like we just have to make do. If this is you, please let these next words sink in – it doesn’t need to be this way. You have a passion and purpose burning inside of you, waiting to be explored and set free. Finding your passion doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it seems. You just have to follow the right process that reveals your true strengths, interests and hidden (or forgotten) desires.

Since we prefer depth over breadth and often feel as though we need to know ‘everything’ about a topic before we can speak on it, we tend to be critical of not only ourselves, but also our ability to achieve something. The problem for introverts is that we focus too heavily on what we consider the gaps between who we are and who we think we should be. In fact, what you may currently believe is a weakness could actually be one of your greatest strengths. Consider this: Introverts are reflective, observant, and contemplative. This is a weakness in an improv class; yet, Tom Hanks is one of the best actors in the world. Our self-awareness and ‘overthinking’ is an advantage if it’s controlled and put in the right perspective. With the right mindset shift and strategies, you can see yourself and what you’re capable of in a whole new light!

This is an especially frustrating and confusing situation – to believe you’ve found your passion, only to feel disappointed and lost in the end. You might be tempted to think that you got it all wrong. That you need to start fresh and go in a whole new direction. While that may be true, it might also be that the topic or interest was genuine, but the lifestyle was not. You see, living out your passion and purpose is about more than just finding a topic or activity that interests you – it’s about discovering the values that are most important to you and creating a lifestyle based on those values and interests. It’s about finding something that makes you excited to spring out of bed in the morning and feel like you’re making a genuine impact on the people or issue that you care about most. Once you have all the pieces lined up, you’ll feel in complete alignment with who you are and what you’re meant to be doing! 

Confidence looks different for introverts. It’s not about talking the most, or being able to express your ideas the fastest, or being a social butterfly. It’s about listening, reflecting, creating, imagining, and discovering. We have strengths that allow us to build lives filled with time for imagination, exploration, and inspiration. The times when we’re misunderstood or underestimated can certainly impact the way we view ourselves, but only as much as we allow them to. Once we realize who we REALLY are, we have a choice to re-frame those situations in light of our new knowledge. It’s all about what you believe about yourself and being able to advocate for those strengths in a way that’s genuine to who you are and what you need.

If the answer to your problems is out there, you will always struggle to feel truly in control of your emotions and thoughts. You’ll also continue to feel disappointed & frustrated by the lack of real and sustainable change you see in your life. There’s an important lesson to be learned in realizing the power you really hold. You are not responsible for everything that’s happened to you, but you are responsible for your response to it. You give away the power to change your life when you live in regret, disappointment, or hurt. You take back your power when you realize that the minute you take responsibility for your life, you can change it. Real results happen when you decide to take ownership of your life. You may not be able to change the past, but you can (and are) impacting your future!