Episodes
Wednesday May 07, 2014
Ep63: Musician Andy Mort on Quiet Rebels and Introverted Performers
Wednesday May 07, 2014
Wednesday May 07, 2014
What's life like for an introvert who chooses to be on stage performing on a regular basis? It’s a vulnerable life, one that requires levels of self-promotion and constant putting-yourself-out-there. And in fact, you don't have to be on a stage to be performing and to feel the pressures that come with it.
In this episode, I chat with Andy Mort, a UK-based musician and writer also known as Atlum Schema. He’s a podcaster,
HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), and introvert. His latest album is titled “Year 0” and you'll hear one of the tracks at the end of our conversation.
"Andy’s daring and innovative approach to creating and releasing modern music has proved him and his alter-ego Atlum Schema to be a bright beacon in the depths of British music today – watch out." - Bearded Magazine
In describing his blog and podcast, Andy writes, “Sheep Dressed Like Wolves is for people I define as Reluctant Leaders and Gentle Rebels who long to make an impact in a sometimes strange, absurd, and often overwhelming world... I want to de-construct and explore this stuff and to help introverts and highly sensitive people recognize and overcome what is holding us back from living with the passion, purpose, and meaning we seek.”
Friday Feb 22, 2013
Introversion, Perception and Reality with Alice Boyes
Friday Feb 22, 2013
Friday Feb 22, 2013
For many people, discovering where they fell on the introvert-extrovert spectrum didn’t come at an early age. So they grew up with a set of perceptions about who they were that may or may not have been reality. This is especially true for introverts; for instance, I grew up thinking that I was socially unskilled and not a good conversationalist.
I hear similar stories from my clients and the people I’ve spoken with over the past three years. From this one piece of information - knowing they're introverts - they can start the journey of learning how to be their most powerful selves.
My guest is New Zealand psychologist Dr. Alice Boyes, and she was fortunate; she learned that she was an introvert at a very young age. But it was only recently that she started to appreciate her introversion, rather than see it as a personal fault.
We talk about her journey from feeling ashamed of being an introvert to feeling at peace with it. We also cover a wide range of topics, including
- Taking what could be perceived as a negative trait and becoming more comfortable with it
- How lessons from traditional work places help inform making the transition to entrepreneurship
- Distinguishing between introversion, anxiety and lack of confidence
- Identifying your “tracks of avoidance” that could hold you back
- What's really behind our fear of success
PS: One of her recent Psychology Today articles was featured on Lifehacker.com and has gotten over 100,000 views (read the original article).
Monday Feb 04, 2013
Claiming Your Introvert Power with Dr. Laurie Helgoe
Monday Feb 04, 2013
Monday Feb 04, 2013
February 1, 2013, was a special day for introverts everywhere. It marked the release of the second edition of Laurie Helgoe’s fabulous book, Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life is Your Hidden Strength. It’s chock full of stories, research and quotes from introverts the world over, all affirming the quieter gifts of the introvert. And this new edition reveals even more insights that are sure to have readers nodding their heads in agreement and feeling a connection to introverts everywhere.
In this podcast conversation, Laurie and I talk about what's new in Introvert Power, including
- What's wrong with how we normally define "happiness"
- How solitude can sometimes suck, even for introverts
- How to get a word in edgewise with chatty Cathys
- Why we introverts need to examine what we consider rude
Dr. Laurie Helgoe is an author and clinical psychologist specializing in personality and the psychology of desire. As owner of Book It! Literary Consulting, she enjoys helping writers prepare their books for publication. Helgoe authored the cover story, “Revenge of the Introverts" for the September- October 2010 issue of Psychology Today.
Helgoe’s books include Introvert Power, recipient of a Publisher’s Weekly starred review; The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Raising Boys; The Anxiety Answer Book; The Boomer’s Guide to Dating (Again); and The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Breaking Up.
Wednesday Jan 30, 2013
A Better Understanding of Shyness with Barbara Markway
Wednesday Jan 30, 2013
Wednesday Jan 30, 2013
Shyness is a topic that is fundamental to the introvert conversation but that can be the source of enormous confusion. For so long, people have collapsed the two, assuming that if a person is shy, she must be introverted, or if a person is introverted, he must be shy. The truth is, while they are two different characteristics, there are significant similarities. I’ve asked an expert on shyness, Barbara Markway, Ph.D., to help us tease through the issue.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:- Where the confusion between introversion and shyness comes from
- How to shift your perception of shyness
- Tips for the shy introvert: the transformative power of acknowledgment, acceptance, self-talk and small steps
- How to create a more “shy friendly” environment
Be sure to listen all the way to the end for a special giveaway!
Barbara Markway, Ph.D., is a psychologist and author of three books on social anxiety and shyness. Her first book, Dying of Embarrassment: Help for Social Anxiety & Phobia, was named one of the most scientifically valid self-help books in a study published in Professional Psychology, Research and Practice. Her other books are Painfully Shy: How to Overcome Social Anxiety and Reclaim Your Life and Nurturing the Shy Child: Practical Help for Raising Confident and Socially Skilled Kids and Teens. Barb has appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and the documentary Afraid of People. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, among other national publications, and she’s been heard on radio shows nationwide.
She blogs at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shyness-is-nice and http://theselfcompassionproject.com/
Monday Sep 24, 2012
The Traveling Introvert with Stephanie Yoder
Monday Sep 24, 2012
Monday Sep 24, 2012
Over the years, I’ve discovered how much fun it is to travel to new places. They don’t even have to be exotic, just simply places I’ve never been.
And what about travel and the introvert? Taking a trip with someone is one of the fastest ways to learn about yourself and your relationship. How do you manage your need for alone time when you’re with someone 24/7? And how do you create an experience that works for you, that isn’t based on what other people expect?
My guest today is Stephanie Yoder, and she’s a girl who can't sit still. She has been traveling on and off for the past 6 years, through Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. She started Twenty-Something Travel three years ago as a way to convince other Generation Y-ers to get out and see the world.
I found Stephanie through one of her blog posts, "The Introvert's Guide to Travel." We chat about her experiences traveling alone, as well as with her extroverted fiance, and and her best advice about making travel easier than you think.