| I believe full heartily that I'm an ambivert or as I use to say before knowing the term ambivert, a hybrid of introvert/extrovert. I love groups of people and diversity but I'm able to recharge best when I'm alone. About two years ago for the first time I read Susan Cain's book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. To me Susan's book was a game-changer. For once in my life I didn't feel like I had to talk. |
Before reading Cain's book I had a notion to be successful in post-secondary school or work I had to always output my thoughts. I was always uncomfortable in groups of people if I didn't say something to contribute to conversation. Thoughts about thoughts would run me in circles in my mind.
Finding out that some of the world's greatest minds and historic figures, such as Rosa Parks, were introverts is sort of a relief. I don't have to be an extrovert to contribute to society. I can be myself and it's okay to want to be alone.
Above my post you'll see a TED Talk video. Although I read Cain's book two years ago this video is the inspiration for this post and gave me motives to write.
These are my take aways from her presentation:
http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/campuses-centers/nassau-center/outdoor-education-center/
Finding out that some of the world's greatest minds and historic figures, such as Rosa Parks, were introverts is sort of a relief. I don't have to be an extrovert to contribute to society. I can be myself and it's okay to want to be alone.
Above my post you'll see a TED Talk video. Although I read Cain's book two years ago this video is the inspiration for this post and gave me motives to write.
These are my take aways from her presentation:
- I miss deep thoughts. I've been out of school for a year and I know I'm rusty with writing and critical thinking. I can't wait to continue my education and expand my knowledge with research and dynamic debates.
- I agree completely with Susan's ending statement, "...stop the madness of group work...", Like her I believe group work is periodically good but not for a project as a whole due to reasons such as groupthink. I experienced such during my Capstone project (a required project for my BAS in Supervision & Management.)
- Lastly she states, "...go to the wilderness...unplug..." I could write a book on the truth of that statement alone. For over seven years of my life I lived and breathed outdoor education with my first mentor and now late friend Carolyn Woods. I'm very proud of who I am today, including my imperfections, because of the priceless experiences and lessons I learned over those many years at the Nassau Outdoor Education Center. Countless of times I was in the wilderness and countless of times in the outdoors I had my own life revelations.
http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/campuses-centers/nassau-center/outdoor-education-center/