LIFE
Can We Make the World Safe Enough for Introverts to Shine?
Listening and confidence might be the keys.
Our world is ruled by extraverts. The shouters. The bold ones. The ones who don’t mind taking up space. Not really thinking about leaving enough space for others. Space for other humans. Space for other species.
Not enough space for all to breathe…
However, our world is designed by introverts. Among them are many inventors, poets, and nature-lovers. They aren’t as loud. But they do feel deeply. They are the listeners. They are deep, mysterious lakes full of undiscovered wisdom.
And we might need their wisdom badly to heal our broken world.
Lately, I write about drops. We are all drops. Only together we can create the wave that’s needed for the world to change course.
What do drops do?
- They stick together
- They leave space for other drops to get their own oxygen in their own way
Can we make it safe for every drop to come out of hiding? Can we shine our loving light on introverts so they dare to come out of their shells? And can introverts build up their confidence? The world needs us, dear fellow and sister-introverts. All of us.
Introverts are deep, mysterious lakes full of undiscovered wisdom.
Not a People Person
This story is inspired by a poem about an introvert, written by Radha Kapadia. This is the poem. I connect to the words deeply. Thanks, Radha!
“I’m not a people person, I like to stay hush Do not confuse me with boring, I’m not I have a room filled with things to talk to and I do not feel the absence of humans Humans — I run away from” — Radha Kapadia
The poem got me thinking.
About loneliness. About connection. About physical and virtual environments that need to be safe to come out of our shells and shine our lights.
And then I encountered this beautiful heart, made by gemma correll. What gems are there to be found on this platform. I just love it! Thank you, Gemma!
Have a look. There’s an alone-time-lake in here. And a country-of-animal-pals. And the place I like most is the river-of-daydreams.
I don’t think it is a coincidence that these two great women, Radha and Gemma, write about their strong connection to nature.
Nature provides a haven for many introverts.
Technology Haven
But there are other havens for introverts as well. They might hide behind words as writers. They hide behind the camera as photographers. Or they are technology-inspired nerds.
So much diversity in one word: introverts.
And so much need for connection.
I want to give you a very practical example of why we need us, introverts of the world, to come out of our shells and work together. We need introvert brainpower to find solutions for our broken world.
We need words, we need images, we need the stories to be told. We need to inspire all people to become nature-connected again. And we need technical, nature-inspired inventions.
And all of that without initially thinking about sales. And loudness.
For me, one thing is clear. We need to align the economy, ecology, and the human spirit. And for that to happen, we need many nature-based solutions. Solutions that have benefits for people and for other species. Solutions that restore our planet to become abundant again. We need to design the products of the future in line with nature’s laws.
We need to combine old wisdom with modern technologies.
So what if we make the world safe enough for introverts to come out of our shells? Would we all dare to connect, to collaborate?
We can at least try this approach and connect some dots.
Extraverts keep running, and shouting and pumping up their ego-muscles. Saying we need to DO. NOW! No time to waste. I know many of them in my own sustainability circles. And the best they can come up with as a solution is flooding our valuable land with solar panels and windmills.
But there are so many better solutions to come up with if we connect the dots.
We need to look upstream for the real solutions. Healthy, living soil. Abundantly available materials. Waste streams to be used in new products.
And in the end, the introvert has to collaborate with an extraverted entrepreneur to get his solution implemented.
Whoah, that requires some getting us out of our shells!
Connecting the Dots and Collaborating
I know I’m connecting some dots here that many people don’t see (yet). Some introverts will not recognize themselves in the pictures Radha and Gemma painted.
Some introverts will not recognize themselves in the picture of genius inventors who will be crucial to find nature-based solutions for our broken world.
And still, I see a picture emerge.
A picture of people safe enough to shine. To become happy in their own skin. Finding the courage to shine their lights. Everyone has a talent. Talent for cooking is as important as talent for quantum physics.
Cooking is great training for connecting the dots in a connected world. And quantum physics is all about observation. We need them both. We need all talents. And a mindset focused on life. All life.
Cooking and quantum physics are both important.
Make It Safe
Introverts often need silence and calm to be able to function properly. Can you imagine us getting involved amidst all those overwhelmingly threatening extraverts? Shouting and doing and protesting loudly and vigorously?
Doing is great. We need it badly! But taking the time to hear our inner voice and then do the right thing might be as important as just doing. First, take some introverted time and then do. Mindfully.
The key to a better world starts with a social activity. Listening. And gaining the confidence to take up your own rightful space on this planet. Wisely. Safely. Daringly.
The key to a better world starts with listening.
Maybe these ideas will help.
- Focus not only on taking up your rightful space but leave space for others as well. Indonesian traffic inspired me. It might sound strange. But if you want to cross the street in Yogyakarta, you just raise your hand and walk. The more confident you walk, the easier it is. People will make space when you don’t confuse them with insecurity
- Learn to listen deeply, instead of listening with an urge to reply. I’m training it myself now with a very simple method: Socratic dialogue. iCanay introduced me to the method and she is a great teacher for me. The only rule is to repeat exact words before you add your own thoughts. Results: we listen instead of already replying in our heads. An extra result is that every next speaker adds to what is said before. Threads between the thoughts are woven. Together, we really build a new narrative
- To all introverts (and I am one of you) I want to say: please build up your confidence. What you think matters. You don’t need to shout to be heard but if you practice the first point, you will attract people who value your thoughts. And remember, the world needs your wisdom now more than ever!
The Wave
The ocean can be our mirror. The wave can be our teacher. The salty drops can soothe our souls.
Let’s be drops. All of us. Let’s take up our rightful space, stick together, and make a wave of compassion and wise solutions for a beautiful future.
If you want to reach out, just do so in the comments or via LinkedIn. I’m always happy to connect! Here are my other social media links. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, ManyStories, Quora, Patreon, my website.
And if you like to be a drop in the wave of compassion you might consider joining the wave on Patreon. Flow Future — Desiree Driesenaar.