A Journey From Overwhelmed to Empowered
Let’s be honest—have you ever caught yourself thinking:
I need to get used to the chaos.
I need to be more like everyone else.
I need to stop overthinking.
I need to be more outgoing.
I need to stop needing so much alone time.
I need to handle interruptions better.
I need to stop letting things stress me out.
I just need to get myself together.
I’ve thought those things, too.
For a long time, I found myself frustrated when I didn’t have time to think deeply and prepare, work quietly without interruptions, or get information ahead of meetings so I could come prepared with thoughtful ideas.
But I’m beginning to see things differently. I’m realizing these are simply things I need to do my best work—and that’s okay.
During my dissertation, I studied perceptions of introversion, and that experience has stayed with me. The more I learn about personality, self-awareness, and the way we naturally think and respond, the more I realize that I don’t need to fix myself or become more like someone else.
What I need to do is know myself, coach myself, care for myself, equip myself, and grow myself. 💗
And that’s what I’m exploring here. I’m on a journey of self-awareness and self-coaching.
The more I pay attention to how I think, work, communicate, recharge, and respond, the more I realize that some of the things I’ve viewed as weaknesses may actually be part of what makes me PowerHERful. 💗
Instead of constantly asking how I can change myself, I’m becoming more curious about who I am, what I need, and how I can work with the way I’m naturally wired.
Along this journey, I also discovered Brooke Castillo and her Life Coach School teachings. Her approach has given me another tool for understanding my thinking. I’m learning to use what she teaches to examine my thoughts, question the stories I tell myself, and notice how my thoughts influence how I feel and respond. Check out her podcast, The Life Coach School.
As I became more curious about my own temperament, I decided to take this FREE QUIZ from Susan Cain. Afterwards, I realized that while I do have introverted traits, I also have traits that don’t necessarily fit neatly into that description. I think some of those differences may come from my experiences and the environments I’ve been in throughout my life. It’s another reminder that different isn’t deficient. Understanding ourselves isn’t about putting ourselves into a box—it’s about becoming curious about what makes us who we are.
Cain’s book Quiet influenced my thinking. I’ve reread it several times and continue to find ideas that make me think differently about who we naturally are, our temperaments, and the way we navigate the world.
You aren’t broken.
You may simply be tired, overwhelmed, or trying to operate in a way that doesn’t fit how you’re naturally wired.
And I’m learning that understanding ourselves can give us choices.
We can learn what drains us.
We can learn what energizes us.
We can learn what we need.
We can learn how to talk to ourselves differently.
We can learn how to coach ourselves through the hard days.
We can learn how to work with our wiring instead of constantly fighting against it.
That’s what Coaching Our Thinking is about.
I’m not here because I have all the answers. I’m here because I’m curious, I’m learning, and I’m still figuring this out, too.
Come along with me as we explore how understanding ourselves can help us feel less overwhelmed and more empowered to navigate our days. 💗
