“It’s not often that motivational speakers take the time to customize their program to address specific needs of their client.” We introverts like to plan out important tasks. If you are asked to speak pro bono or paid for your work, it is critical to understand your audience. Taking the time to talk with and even survey the meeting planner and even just a handful of attendees will satisfy anyone with analytical tendencies, and leave the audience wanting more.

“Hats off to you for capturing and keeping everyone’s attention regardless of it being a Saturday morning combined with potential daydreaming of golf and beach going.” More introverts like meaningful conversation than idle chitchat. Whether you speak for marketing or your marketing attracted you a paid event, clients appreciate it when you keep your content relevant. I think because of our natural desire to go deep and wide about topics we have a natural advantage of keeping the listeners focused.

“I thought we would need a cane to get the participant volunteers off of the stage – you created such a fun exercise.” We’re often more comfortable being an observer than a participant. While I can ham it up to the degree of any one on the platform, speaking in public is an incredible energy drain. To balance energy, consider experiential activities in your agenda if at all possible. This allows you to facilitate. Then if you can tune into your already highly tuned intuition, give yourself permission to observe the audience and bring further insight into your program.

“Your content was key. By getting people to focus on how they interact, you got them thinking more about their personal behavior and how to get more cooperation through diplomacy.” We have a natural tendency to focus. Since we work best being focused, when we are on the platform we’re going to naturally keep the audience focused and on track.

Audiences come to listen to the message and you. If you are true to yourself – take time to plan, stick to the key points, get others involved to give yourself some downtime and stay focused – people are going swear, “You’re no introvert!” Why? Because when we relax into our strengths instead of trying for force that extrovert side of us to take over, the real us comes through in the most positive of ways.

Thank you Connie Ragen Green for asking this question which otherwise, I might now take for granted.

More to come. But, how helpful was this?

We’re contemplative enough. If we’re always in our heads, just the physicality of getting out to walk can invigorate us. In the sunlight, whether it’s warmer or cooler, those mental cob webs from all that thinking seem to open up and fall away. It makes space for newer, freer, and clearer thinking. For me, this is the time I collect article and blog writing ideas. [Hint: take a small recorder with you to catch new ideas!]

It’s acceptable to walk alone. My walking time is usually in the late morning. I notice many people walking what ever my scheduling. What is reassuring to me, is the groups of people I see in the earlier part of the day are equally balanced with individuals walking throughout the day. Now granted, I may be blessed as an entrepreneur working solo, to have such flexibility. But just notice where you live, when do people seem to walk in groups versus walk alone? It’s just more energizing on my own as I know it is for you if you are an introvert. But if you are an extrovert, then “♪♬ you’ll never walk alone ♫ ♪,” as the song goes. That means, go ahead and invite a friend or two to walk with you.

Even interval walking increases mental focus. Interval walking is alternating a slower pace of walking with a shorter duration but faster pace like a slow jog. Not only is in invigorating for the heart – boy it gets it pumping – but it improves the mental focus. Since as introverts we are already highly focused, this just fine tunes it.

It allows time for reflective meditation. As far as I understand, reflective meditation is a purposeful contemplative practice. You select a question or a situation to reflect on and think about. When you are walking alone, it’s just you. Just you. A perfect time to take that question or situation and have that “Aha!” moment. Just about three years ago, after struggling for the better part of my corporate trainer career to find a niche, I had just such a walking moment. As a coach I knew I wanted a niche and it came to me during a walk: business coach for introverts.

Major health benefits. Regardless of your introvert or extrovert preference, the health benefits apply to all of us. You can lose weight more easily. You increase your bone density with this natural weight-bearing exercise. The natural vitamin D supply, linked to many health ailments when deficient, is plentiful. Serotonin levels, often called the sunshine for the mind as it improves mood, are naturally increased.

Walking just 30 to 40 minutes can really nurture our introvert side. How else do you think it can benefit our preference? I’d love to hear from you.

1. We don’t have to suffer from being a doormat. Some of us don’t even recognize we do.
2. Identify your strengths, put them into action and surprise yourself with the outcome.
3. Even extroverts have a certain amount of dysfunction.
4. Some extroverts are beyond therapy but they continue to sing out of tune.
5. Let go of the fights with yourself with questions like: “Does my introvert butt look big in this event?”
6. Introverts are like icebergs: you see on the surface a small amount of the full person. Nur Zafrena recently tweeted this and it fits perfectly!
7. As a woman introvert, if you are ever called a bitch, to your face or behind your back, you’ve just been complimented as being assertive.
8. I think introverts, like dogs, can learn enough people skills to get along.
9. Introverts are social. It’s just that most of the time, “One is company and two is a crowd.”
10. Don’t accept that the word dysfunctional relates to who you are as more introverted. It’s really someone else’s lack of understanding.

It’s time for us to transform how we think of ourselves as being different. We are for goodness sake! But it can be easier if we lighten up, accept who we are as we are and then go with the global dysfunctionality.

What can you say to help us lighten about ourselves? And thank you my friend Margie Basarabaof CheckItOutTravel for the title – great fun.

On this 23rd day of February, are you viewing your joint venture (JV) partnerships – present or potential ones – with abundance or scarcity? Do you feel worthy of, and confident about attracting equally satisfying and successful JVs? Chances are, your partnerships will be that much richer when you adopt a glass overflowing (as opposed to half full or half empty) attitude to life. Why is that? – Because when you “Change the way you look at things, the things” (including people and your circumstances) “you look at will change”, usually for the better (Wayne Dyer). If you feel unworthy of successful partnerships, it may be true that you’re lacking anchoring and direction. So, how can you get on the up side of this down side, to experience brighter moments and outcomes when seeking and in partnerships?

The first question to ask your self is: What do you fear losing as a result of feeling worthy of having an ideal joint venture partner to help you boost your business results? Jot down these losses now. Do you perhaps fear losing…

1. What makes you feel worthy: e.g. your pride, compliments about your work, or being 100% in control, all of which may be tested during the partnership?
2. Self-esteem, because you may attract JV situations that make you experience further failure?
3. Integrity or honor, should you choose to be your authentic self and in doing so, not readily attract what you thought was your dream joint venture partner or job offer?
4. Your reputation, should you be unable to experience almost immediate satisfaction and success with your new joint venture partner, program, promotion or job?

Is it possible that your biggest fear is the consequences of worthiness, not the worthiness itself? That is, will you be able to effectively manage an increased client workload? Are you willing to let go of needing to always be in control or your time freedom? Does letting down your guard with a new joint venture partner, or even just the sheer thought of this, scare you? More importantly, can you afford to continue “being” and “doing” the same ol’, same ol’ feeling unworthy self?

As a creation of God(dess)/the Universe/Light/Creator/Spirit, you – as a Soul – are worthy just by the fact that you exist. Given this, does it make sense to describe yourself as worthy, honorable and valuable – except for when how you are feeling and what you are experiencing and manifesting is below par? Doesn’t make sense, does it? If that were the case, you would not have the right to exist. Here is something to help you climb out of that hole. Complete the following sentence, “As an entrepreneur, I value myself for the following, inside and outside JVs…”

1. Being innovative, creative or imaginative
2. Being technically savvy
3. My ability to easily solve complex problems
4. My organizational skills
5. Being an inspiring leader

Let today be the day that you – your Soul, and not your Ego – begin believing that you are worthy! Who knows? It could be the beginning of a rich and beautiful friendship between you and your prospective business clients and ventures, and money too. This “richer” attitude will surely create rich dividends for you, your JV partners, and the clients whose lives you both impact and influence!

Monique and I have a 3-pack bonus – 3 gift articles you can claim now – no email required.

And better yet, there is still time for you to hear Monique and I live in Joint Venture Your Way To The Lifestyle You Love!

Are you thinking about a joint venture? Or are you in one now? This could be just what you need to monetize it quickly.

Focus. When listening to Kearney’s commentary of her own skiing after she claimed the gold medal, the commentator-like description spoke to a clarity from inside her head of every move along the way. Doesn’t that sound like us? As introverts we are in our heads examining – every move along the way. Just as in Kearney’s commentary, we usually have the same inner reflection and ideas with a focus. If it’s a strength for athletes competing often once in their life, imagine our power recognizing that this is me everyday in my life? How does that feel to you?

Motivation. To move into action, ah! Sometimes as introverts, we are so involved with the thinking, analyzing and planning and then we stall at the action. But here’s where I think we’re quite like the Olympic athlete. There are many theories about motivation, one of them being, intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is when I am doing things based on internal factors. This is the stronger motivation as opposed to extrinsic motivation. Studies in the workplace have proven this. Intrinsic motivation is what likely drives the Olympic athlete to do things – they love the fun of it, or they somehow think their sport is the right thing for them. And how are introverts focused? Internally?

Sport intelligence.This is a mental and emotional ability about the sport to be able to earn the bronze, silver or gold medal. Introverts are excellent observers: we can observe our feelings and our moods. When we decide to do that and put our reasoning and planning into what we observe What business are you in? What is your avocation? Whatever it is, as an introvert, if you are like me, your “introvert intelligence” helps you go deep in the knowledge of your work, your avocation, at the same time using your curiosity.

If or when you start doubting yourself, I have those times too, remember how much like an Olympic athlete we are. Remember how much strength you have in you just as Hannah Kearney found in her second attempt for what she wanted. Just these three traits alone that we share with the Olympic athlete – focus, motivation and sport intelligence – are enough to help get whatever medal it is we might want.

Thoughts: The downfall of being able to create just as we want as I see it, is our lack of wavering personal acceptance of who we are and often wishing-thinking-hoping-praying we were an extrovert. That in itself is enough to set abundance in a trajectory away from us. If to begin with your thoughts get in the way of acceptance, just what is that accepting? It’s not. It’s creating a negative vibration. And there are an abundance of negative introvert beliefs that can keep us stuck there in the sludge. Let’s use one I am often accused of: anti-social. First I know I am not anti-social. I like people but I like my alone time better. I know that about myself. When I am in a situation that someone might incorrectly judge me that way, it’s an acceptance on my part that this may occur because I didn’t prepare myself with enough solitary time to be ready. I know I do enjoy limited social time. So which negative myth are you ready to change your thinking about?

Emotion: One of the emotions likely most introverts can conjure up is one of fear brought on by the feeling around some extroverting events that we somehow believe must be carried on in true extrovert fashion. Let’s take networking for example. Imagine we all agree that networking is a productive way of finding your dream job, finding the best prospects for clients or joint ventures or finding a resource you want. I have a neighbor who’s an all out extrovert. She’s told me she gets so excited when she has a party in her home that she can get carried away with the guest list. Knowing this about her, and knowing I’m an introvert who can be wrongly accused of being anti-social in large groups, I want to know and usually ask her, “How many people are you expecting?” Regardless of the number she tells me, I plan accordingly with my before and after activities so that I can be emotionally positive when I arrive and as I mingle.

Attraction: Let’s put the two together: the inner thought is “I enjoy limited social time,” and “I happily prepare for socializing in large groups.” At a bare minimum think and feel what goes with, “I intend to enjoy the degree of socializing that makes me happy even when in large groups.” Your feeling moves toward the positive and your actions match up. You find yourself behaving appropriately for your own energy levels and you are ready for the extroverting activity in a positive way. Even when present at an event, you’ll find you’ll be socializing because you are now attracting to you abundantly, all around, to be in this example, social.

We are after all, introverts. So you want more in 2010? More of what ever it is, is your choice to contemplate the formula and put in place the abundance of what might free your soul – Thought plus Emotion = Attraction.

Maybe you are ready to be abundantly happy collaborating with like minded individuals. Find out how compatible you are for your next Joint Venture. Sign up for a free one hour online webinar, Joint venture matchmaking: How compatible are you?

The Tiger’s influence can offer us courage, invite us to take bold actions and risk taking. Tall order for introverts? Maybe not.

Regardless of which holiday you celebrate, and even if you celebrate both, 2010 is the year for the introvert to both love our self and take bolder actions just being who we are.

Here are six tips to balance this day of contrast as an introvert:

• Since Valentine’s Day is always so crowded at restaurants, celebrate with your sweetie on another day. Relish that alone time. You could cook a special dinner and stay at home.
• You could brave the crowds if you like: take advantage of the collision of holidays and venture out to a Chinese restaurant because it’s likely they might be open. It could be a celebration of love of family if they live nearby you. You accomplish love, family in extroverting style on your timeframe.
• While the fireworks of the Chinese New Year are right outside, be bold and be yourself. Grab that book you’ve been wanting to read and just curl up and do it. Or hey, maybe you’re a bath person – then get in that Jacuzzi for about an hour. Postpone celebration to during the week when the fireworks are done.
• The Chinese have their own Valentines Day and so the global Valentine’s Day won’t likely crowd out their biggest day of any year. Follow their lead and celebrate what’s most important to you on this coinciding holiday: time alone, time with your loved one or time with family.
• How many people do you need to celebrate either holiday? If your preference is to be with a few close friends like mine is, then make that happen. If for some reason you feel more extroverting, then celebrate with more people. The choice is yours.
• Choose to celebrate both ways: maybe midday choose to be with a lot of friends and then settle in after this with a small intimate dinner with your babe.

Both holidays are a day to celebrate: Valentine’s day for love and your loved ones, and the Chinese New Year to welcome in another year to have more love. This year, everyday, be bold in your celebrations and place the most important love on yourself.

How are you going to choose to celebrate?

1. For many people the Super Bowl signals the end of a long stretch of winter weather. It’s difficult to pinpoint how long introverts have been in a stretch of – little recognition, often being misjudged and then taken for granted as lesser capable. All of this keeps our strengths often unrecognized in many situations. It is up to us to be aware of and responsible for those strengths and then put them into action.

2. Predictions to win Super Bowl games usually revolve around one quarterback. It was Peyton Manning of the Colts, versus Drew Brees of the Saints. In some analysis this focus forgets the game is a team sport. Introverts can add value in small groups, like small teams. We want to be both aware of and have confidence in applying our innate strengths because performance, whether we are the leader or a team player at any level, affects results.

3. Performing better in the playoffs, didn’t carry the supposed favored team compared to the Saints positive overflowing feelings of success to just get that far. If you have fallen victim to all the negative introvert myths, then you likely aren’t yet playing full out in life. We aren’t shy, anti-social, aloof and or whatever other myths continue. It may be time for our playoffs. If we aren’t playing better, we can’t find the success. This is when we want to acknowledge and use our strengths like contemplation, focus and planning.

4. The Saints team was made up of many players other teams didn’t want. But then second quarter, just as my neighbor was telling me, “They (the Saints) just don’t stand a chance,” the Saints took off. How often as an introvert have you felt left out? Or chose on your own not to follow the group? Regardless of not being always chosen for a project or asked to take the lead, on occasion it may be a mistake for not taking that strength of focus we have and use that to keep us from pulling all strengths we have together and making it count.

5. Metaphorically how does what the saints mean to New Orleans, compare to what introverts may mean to a world in chaotic times? In 2005 New Orleans was almost wiped off the continent. Slowly and purposefully, people rebuilt their football team. This gave the team a chance to be the ones who uplifted the spirit of the city along with the physical rebuilding. Introverts can put to task some of their key strengths like creativity, depth of thinking and integrity to their independent-mindedness. By doing so they can find ways to play a bigger game and be part of the rebuilding of a world is disarray. Think of the positive effect of taking on that role and intention.

The song “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” is as perfect a song for the 2010 Super Bowl win as it gets. You may even realize how related it is to the life of an introvert in 2010. We are all here for a purpose and part of that is our role as more introverted people. Because in some ways, we can do things better. Then recognizing that, the other tune of this year’s game, “Oh when the saints go marching in,” will take on meaning for us as individuals.

How can you make this year the beginning of your win?

Even the best bred have challenges. My husband and I had the pleasure, and honor, of showing our 1933 Packard in Louisville, Kentucky. There at Colonial Downs we learned a little history about the Triple Crown history. It is a tremendous challenge for the horses to get there:

Only America’s best three-year-old thoroughbreds, as well as outstanding horses from other nations, make it there.

All three races that make the winners are run within five weeks, a grueling schedule for the horses.

And three races are of varying distances: 1¼ mile; 1 3/16; and 1½ mile.

How incredible is that winning horse? If as an introvert you want 2010 to be a year of success, or being noticed for your creativity or for being taken seriously, while it may be a challenge, it is still possible. Maybe it won’t be in the speed of a Kentucky Derby race, less than two minutes, but it could be your year to win.

Other people’s words. In 1949, trainer Ben A. Jones said that Ponder was about as good a contender to win in a Kentucky Derby as a Shetland pony. But Contender won! Well okay, not the triple crown but remember, to get to the Triple Crown was a strength in itself. Thank goodness Ponder knew where the winning came from. Not outside of him. Ponder’s wins came from within. Introverts, usually in our head, can leverage that talk into winning action. Begin to believe your confidence in yourself more than other people’s misguided words. If you can’t find it inside on your own, get a coach or a mentor. It’s there; it really is.

Ponder was a closer. Horses that are closers run races from behind. It seems that for years the introvert has been misunderstood. Usually we have to come in from behind. But when it matters, we’re the leaders and we’re the idea people who can be counted on.

And then, in a number of traditions that play a large role in the Derby atmosphere, here’s one to aim.

The infield, a spectator area inside the track, isn’t for the introvert. So what if the infield is relatively inexpensive and attracts tens of thousands of people. What introvert wants that kind of a crowd? We might be “innie” people but following the lead from this Derby tradition, we’re going to want to go where fewer people go. “Millionaire’s Row”, the area with the expensive box seats. That’s what to aim for to get a sense of the party with a smaller group.

We may have to may the price – let go of the introvert myths, get out of our head and move into action. We may need to learn to not listen to others and instead take that quiet time of reflection and begin to listen to what we know. Are we ready to come up from behind? We have to be – the world needs us.

What do you think? What kind of lessons can you learn from Ponder?

He sometimes refers to the cloud that surrounds him with pride as the dust of ancient civilizations. In the last strip that Pig-Pen appeared in he was uncharacteristically embarrassed and ashamed of his dirtiness, forgetting his tie to those – ancient civilizations. In everyday situations we want to remember our strengths and focus on them. Remember what they are: focus, listening, original thinking, depth. Gee. Doesn’t it sound like this are needed in our world now? Our strengths can carry us up and over anything we might judge as a shortcoming. Our strengths, like the dust of ancient civilizations, can be a positive force in our lives.

“Pig-Pen” is very good at playing the drums, as shown in the special Play it Again, Charlie Brown. What are you good at? While certainly not perfect, with our depth of thinking we can take it all in, cut through other’s BS and read people pretty well. How would that play out as an energy saver for us? Our strengths, acknowledged and applied, give us that energy we need. We are all good at some things that others are not. When we can remain true to our inner self and play up to our strengths then someone may just ask us to “Play It Again.” We can decide at that time if we want to.

Violet: Pig-Pen, you’re an absolute disgrace! All that dirt and dust… you could be a germ carrier. Did you ever stop to think of that? Pig-Pen: So what if I am? Even germs get tired of walking now and then! Anyone can get tired every now and then of others asking them to be something they are not. Yes, when the tiredness wears down your otherwise natural contemplative defenses and you find yourself giving in to thinking you need to act like an extrovert, stop. Be yourself. Ask yourself, how and where will I draw that energy from? Then act on it.

Decide to step away from emotionally identifying with those internal, external and shared beliefs that keep you from living your dreams, your purpose and being yourself. Heck, everyone has some. You know the ones that hold us back? That ones that make you think you are shy, aloof, anti-social and the list goes on. Learn from Pig-Pen who decided that the clouds of dust surrounding him were there to serve him in a positive way. The clouds can easily dissipate if or when you need them to.

Charlie Brown would say, “Good grief!” What would you say?