Growing up, I was always the shy nerdy girl who flew under the radar. When I began to work in retail and attend college, this slowly began to shift and I've grown into someone who's personable, outgoing, and an all-around people person With that being said, some of the shy girl tendencies still remain. If you're at all like me, you may see some of these behavioral traits within yourself. It may be a struggle at times to find a balance and push yourself to speak up when it's most necessary.
Oftentimes, it's easy to strike up a conversation with others, to make small talk in an attempt to mask the awkward silence and the fact that you are just at a loss for words. In informal situations you excel. When it comes to more formal situations such as job interviews and presentations, you find your stomach sinking and try not to overthink things. You start to question your talent and your confidence wavers, even though you've proven yourself capable time and time again. I hear you.
You struggle to find acceptance. Now that you're opening up more and are putting yourself out there, you want others to acknowledge that transition and to establish a connection. I think being someone who has both introverted and extroverted tendencies means that you love talking a lot, but you value taking the conversations you have to the next level and getting to know individuals on a more personal level. You're insightful and able to determine if someone is compatible with you almost immediately. This is something you fixate on.
Although you enjoy being surrounded by people, you are selective in the people you surround yourself with on a regular basis. You want to share your story with others, but you still want to keep some of it to yourself. You're willing to put yourself out there in order to initiate positive change, but it will always scare you a little bit to do so. The insecurity that came with being shy and wanting to present yourself in the best way possible is still there. That's okay though. Everyone has their things that they struggle with and there is always room for improvement. It's hard to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, but the fact that you're willing to try is what counts for the most. It's what is going to produce results and get you to where you want to go in the long run.
To all of my introverted extroverts, take it from an aspiring News Anchor. Anything is possible if you want it badly enough. When I was in third grade, I was so shy and nervous that I would stutter and had to see a speech counselor. I am now a Communications Major and employed at a News Station. I had to work to get to where I wanted to be. I work to improve myself every day. We need to fight to make these things happen for ourselves. Utilize your strengths and understand your weaknesses. Acknowledge and embrace these things because understanding yourself is crucial to bettering yourself.
