The end of the year always makes me feel reflective, and I’ve learned I need to be careful about that, especially as an introvert. Our brains are VERY active and research has found up to 70 percent of our spontaneous thoughts are negative.
Why? Our tendency toward negativity may come from the acetylcholine brain pathway introverts use for processing. As Lindsay Dodgson explains in her article, What Everyone Gets Wrong About Introverts, this pathway is much longer and goes through the part of the brain that notices errors. She says, “Introverts notice all sorts of details, which makes them self-conscious about the mistakes they are making.”
As I share in The Powerful Purpose of Introverts, Introvert brains also draw more from long-term memory, which makes it easy to connect past failures with current circumstances. What’s happening in the moment is never the whole story for us. And, unless we’re intentional, the story we’re coming up with might not be a helpful one.
At the end of 2020, it would be easy to look back and focus on failures, mistakes, or disappointments. Instead, try asking yourself these three questions for reflection…
What’s one thing I learned this year?
What’s one hard thing I did?
What’s one thing I’m grateful for?
I don’t know the details of your story but I believe this: You’re stronger than you know, braver than you feel, and loved more than you can even imagine.
Cheering You On,
Holley
Author & Your Introvert Coach
p.s. Do you want 2021 to be your best year yet? My online course, 7 Ways to Thrive as an Introvert, will help! AND there’s a special offer right now!
