For those of a more introverted disposition, if you’re anything like me sometimes sharing your thoughts or posting on social media can be more of a chore than a form of expression. Which means, many of us may have the brightest most revolutionary thoughts in the world (at least, in our own mind); but have a paralysing fear sharing them.
Now I’m not a social media influencer, celebrity or thought leader but I do have a set of theories, perspectives, and passion for anything business psychology related. Surely I should feel free to share these thoughts, right?
Recent research shows that introverts make up 35 – 40% of the population, and those are just the ones who are open enough to answer research questions and express specific traits more openly and honestly. I predict there’s a whole set of unknown introverts who still don’t revel in all the truth and authenticity of their thoughts and ideas.
Up until a few years ago I was still one of them… Susan Cain’s Quiet reassured me that although I may be “quiet”, I can, in fact, create great things in a world that can’t stop talking.
So listen up, (and that should be easy for the fellow introvert population as we are exceptionally good listeners!), here are some ways I have found helped me get over that social posting angst:
1. Write About Things That Are Authentic to You.
Yes this may sound simple, however, if you consider that the majority of content is wasted, rehashed or written because it happens to be a trending topic, it is easy to see why we don’t feel the need to write about something similar. I have found that writing about particular ideas that I am truly fascinated in comes a lot more naturally when delivered. Once you write from a sincere place in you, that social angst begins to disappear….
2 Understand Your ‘Why’
This point applies to all of us – introvert, extrovert, human. The brilliant Simon Sinek theorized that understanding our “Why” or the purpose behind why we do what we do, will help bring joy, fulfillment, & love to what we do in our day to day lives. These feelings have to be completely visceral in order for them to feel authentic. To begin facilitating this process you can find a brief set of exercises to help discover your why here https://startwithwhy.com/find-your-why/. Writing about topics that link to your Why statement will feel more genuine & so eliminate that posting angst.
3. Send Content to a Friend or Loved One
I am lucky enough to have an incredible set of high-value individuals in my life who have always supported me. Many of them may not always relate to certain pieces of content or topics I choose to write about, but they are always willing to read through and evaluate anything for me. Those that are closest to you will ultimately know what you stand for and be willing to give you unbiased feedback.
4. Reward Yourself Once You’ve Posted.
Now I’m not saying you need to go and buy yourself a designer item every time you share some content on social media, but setting yourself small little perks every time you do certainly gets the job done quicker and keeps you feeling motivated through those moments of lull. Whether this is having a tea with a buddy, a lovely lunch, or a new book, having that small perk afterward motivates you to carry through and actually complete the post
5. Appreciate That You’re Not Going To Please Everyone (..and that’s O.K)
If you’re too busy pleasing everyone, you’re not being true to yourself. We can’t all love every article we read but even if one person finds this useful then that’s a small success!
“I can’t tell you the key to success but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.”…I think that was Ed Sheeran. Smart.
With our workspace revolutionising at a rapid pace, it is becoming increasingly important for us to express our thoughts, especially the more quiet souls. After all, we normally prefer to listen to and consume content rather than be the ones declaring our universal knowledge.
Shazia Hussain is a thinker, introvert and psychologist in the making with over 10 years professional digital media experience, and four within coaching.
Her core passion is developing leaders – enabling others to grow and inspire through focusing on nurturing emotional intelligence, quiet leadership, self – awareness, and motivation.
You can email her on thinkeronlineuae@gmail.com