I'm not a country or blues music fan, but Chris Stapleton fascinates me.

I remember seeing him perform on an awards show (I think it was the Grammys) years ago. At that time, there was a woman standing on stage near Chris as he performed. She wasn't a backup singer nor dancer. She was just standing there. And I thought, what in the world is she doing?!

Well, it turns out that lady is Chris's wife. Chris had so much performance anxiety that he needed his wife to be present on stage for him to stay grounded. She was apparently doing this at all his concerts.

I found myself saying "maybe he's chosen the wrong career if he's that uncomfortable performing in front of people."

But I recently saw Chris perform on the Grammys again. This time, his wife was not on stage. And I watched him closely. He sang amazingly! Very soulful. He never once looked out at the crowd. And he didn't make eye contact with the camera.

I went to his Wikipedia page to find out more about his personality, but di...

From the moment I heard the term "ambivert," I was intrigued. Am I an ambivert? After all, I don't mind being in large groups of people and I even don't mind small talk. So I rushed over to 16personalities.com in the hopes of learning whether or not I was an ambivert or an introvert as I had previously discovered.

The results were ISTJ: an honest, responsible, logical introvert. I've since realized 16personalities is based on the Myers-Briggs personality indicator. And when the MBTI was developed, there was no such thing as an ambivert. Additionally, the validity of the MBTI has been questioned due to the two founders having no training in psychology or testing. Furthermore, Katharine Briggs developed her theories in the early 1900s. A lot has changed in 100 years!

That's the trouble with labels. It's so incredibly hard to group introverts into one specific mold. Introversion (or extroversion) is one piece of your complex personality. As Carl Jung stated, "There is no such thing as a...

Are you wondering if you are an introvert?

The definition of introvert has been stretched to include all kinds of personality characteristics that aren't truly introverted traits.

Watch the video below and answer the one simple question to determine if you're an introvert or not!

You know that feeling of warm sunshine on your bare skin?  That little bit of warmth is an instant mood boost.  Animals seek the joy of sunshine too...

My dog


 

A lemur at a zoo we visited (eyes closed, soaking it all in:)


Sunshine is renewable positive energy. 

As an introverted small business owner, staying positive when things get hard is challenging.  Especially if you don't have a team around you to share and connect with.  So, soaking up all positive energy is important for preventing stuckness, procrastination, and burnout.

Yet, we tend to deflect positive energy even though it feels good and is needed.  Did someone give you a compliment or show appreciation that you didn't fully receive?  Like this example:

Friend:  I love the outfit you're wearing!
You:  This? It's so old and faded and has a little stain.
Friend:  Well, you can't tell and it looks cute on you.
You: It's a little tight, but it was the only thing clean to wear.

How much would your mood be boosted if you acknowl...

There is a stereotype that plagues many introverts:  that introverts are aloof.  And you have to peel off many layers of protection before revealing the tender core of an introvert.  Many introverts just don't "do" emotions.  Yet, being a human means experiencing emotions.

Ignoring our emotions is a protection mechanism.  It's also taking the easy way out rather than dealing with hard things.

Introverts typically want to blend in.  Speaking up and standing out means judgement, anxiety, and stress.  So it's easier to stay in the shadows where you can't experience unwanted emotions.

The ISTJs, Enneagram 1s, and perfectionists can agree that we tend to believe that vulnerability is weakness.  In fact, any emotion that pulls on the heartstrings often gets pushed aside.

Introverts also have big dreams.  Big dreams require courage and confidence to step outside of your comfort zone.  So how do you put your tendencies aside and put yourself out there?  Get comfortable with vulnerability.

The comfort zone is so attractive isn't it?  It's safe, easy, secure, and cozy.  Why would you ever want to leave the comfort zone?!

Because you know deep down that growth does not exist in the comfort zone.  Your big dreams will not be achieved by staying in the comfort zone.

We know this.  And so we tend to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones....often pushing too hard and ending up in the panic zone. 

Case in point: you've no doubt heard that video is the future.  So you muster up all your courage and force yourself to go live on Facebook.  It's stressful!  And you don't feel good about it after.  Then and there you decide that video is not for you.  You end up in the panic zone - exhausted & overwhelmed - and probably suffer the introvert hangover too.  The panic zone is no bueno!

The issue here is that you completely skipped the learning zone.  You went 0-60mph instead of 0-30mph.  The learning zone is where you grow and feel eager, comfortably challenged, and read...

Do you get butterflies in your stomach when you think about telling a client how to buy from you? Anxiety around talking and selling to potential customers really holds back the income you are making in your business. This video shares 4 steps to have more confident conversations.

Step 1: How to manage anxiety

Step 2:  Reframe your expectations

Steps 3: Know the outcomes/benefits of working with you

Step 4:  Plan your questions in advance

If you are ready to increase your confidence to put yourself out there and make more sales, check out the Confident Conversations training.

Watch the replay of the live Peak Productivity Workshop!

Get Goals Done!

Being more productive and getting goals done all comes down to planning and preparation. Watch for 3 easy ways to organize your week so you increase your productivity.

Here are a few reasons you may not be getting all your goals done:

1. You're not writing down your "to do's."  Or if you are, it's not consistent and/or they aren't kept visible.
2. You're overestimating how much work can get done in one week's time.
3. The tasks are too big and you're overwhelmed.

The video above goes into more detail and provides solutions.

Kids are still schooling at home meaning parents are teachers too.

Politics make the headlines daily with the upcoming election.

Friends become enemies on Facebook.

Coronavirus still threatens our health....

Seesh!  It is a super stressful time to be on this Earth.

Protecting our energy and mental health is vitally important right now.  Typically, introverts will nap, read, paint, or binge-watch TV to restore energy.  In this current climate though, you may find that you need more ways to reduce stress.

This video discusses 6 additional ways to reduce stress right now.

Leave a comment below and let me know which one resonates with you:)