Learning to be an Extrovert
My first story everrr on tumblr! It's about learning myself and becoming a better person from my experiences and feelings. Hope you guys enjoy it
In high school, I was always with my group of friends. There were seven of us, and at the time, we were enough. We laughed and had fun. We didn’t need anyone else. Come college and I’m on my own. I wanted to be big, so I pushed hard to get into a good university. My friends? They had their own respectable pursuits, none of which resembles mine, hence I commence my lonely journey to college.
I knew I wanted to do business, so I joined a business organization. After the first event, I broke down, more because of my own shaky mentality than the event itself. All the “networking” that was going on seemed like a competition for survival; everyone was trying to impress, to articulate, and to completely erase someone else’s presence.
So I cried, wondering to myself how I’ll make it here. Naturally introverted, I was too self-conscious, too sensitive to people’s judgment, and too hesitant to take action. All I ever did was retreat into my own cocoon, being all “too good for others.”
But now, I knew that I wasn’t good enough and that change was necessary. So I set a personal goal to be bolder, stronger and to have better presence—basically, to become an extrovert.
For some, being an extrovert is an acquired skill. This scientifically proven fact I learned from my very first college mentor.
Understanding who you are comes first. I was fortunate enough to receive guidance right from the beginning; my college mentor, an owner of a small craft business, took the time to help me explore my own personality. I wasn’t alone in this process because our perceptions of ourselves is probably the most biased and distorted, so it’s best to have someone else help you see you.
Then, I slowly but gradually stepped outside of my comfort zone. Here, I was guided by a campus recruiter, to whom I shared my deepest feelings. From him, I learned to take small yet sure steps. Gradualism is key to every great accomplishment. By participating in presentations, speaking up for myself and actively reaching out to others, I slowly build up an internal confidence and an external presence.
Failure is tricky to overcome. Understanding it means realizing the simple fact that we are a reflection of our world. Our planet is half dark, half bright. Flip your hand over and there’s a dark and light complementary. Religion tells us not be commit sins so we shy away from ever making mistakes. But just like the force of gravity, mistakes are natural! It’s ok to screw up; it makes us human, and humility makes you grow.
Sometimes, self-doubt and uncertainty creep in. At such times, I get help from either books or from my dad, who untangles my mind with one phrase: “keep it simple”. In the grand scheme of things, your worries and solo act of failure probably don’t inflict much damage on you or to the world. So calm down and think about what matters to you most. Sometimes, it’s best to think “I’ve got nothing to lose,” which is probably true for most of us
Now, I constantly think about my career, my family and people. Truthfully, sensitivity and self-consciousness are self-justified reasons to focus on one’s self. Think about the world and you’ll find yourself accepting of others and their judgments. There are only a few things to remember: 1. aspire to become better, 2. take small and sure steps, 3. lean on others, 4. remind yourself it’s ok to make mistakes, and 5. keep it simple when you feel overwhelmed. Keep yourself open to others, and you’ll find support and happiness everywhere in your journey to become an extrovert.
Thank you for spending the time to read my post. Please let me know what you think!