The Flourishing Introvert Talks

Most people assume that Introverts detest being in the spotlight, but this is not always the case. Some individuals will adapt to the idea of being the hero of their own narrative more readily than others, just like Joanna who often chooses to be the hero/heroine of her stories.   In this episode, our Host emphasizes the value of authenticity and how everyone has a unique life experience, hence, w...

As the new year begins, most people are drawn to (or guilted into) "start the year right" by creating their goals and resolutions. How often, though, can we keep up the momentum we've built? According to research, the majority of people tend to lose sight of their goals pretty quickly as the year wears on. And Joanna admits to being one of those people.     In this episode, Joanna shares her thoug...

As 2022 comes to an end, Joanna gives us a glimpse of how her year went. In this episode, our host shares a summary of what she experienced, the opportunities she was presented with, along with the lessons she learned and plan for the upcoming year.   And if you're up for a little fun and new learning, tune in as Joanna talks us through some unusual words and phrases from Susie Dent's Emotional Di...

Joanna has a yearly tradition of posting Seasonal Sanity Savers for her community throughout the month of December. It consists of daily hints and tips, with the letters from A-Z corresponding to particular words to help people remember how to maintain their sanity as the pressure mounts over the holiday season. In this episode, Joanna brings back another ' M ' word which she believes could also b...

"Laughter is the best medicine" is indeed a well-known saying that is also proven to be a fact. Who does not like a good laugh now and then anyway? One of the things Joanna genuinely adores is laughing until she has cramp in her cheeks. But in reality, it doesn't happen quite as often as it could do  Being told that she's too earnest and takes herself too seriously the majority of her life, Joanna...

Joanna shares her excitement at receiving invitations that will further raise awareness of the extraversion bias in corporate settings. She knows that these as wonderful opportunities that will also enable her fellow Introverts to embrace their Introversion with confidence, pride and joy. But somehow, Joanna seems a little uneasy. Is the ease with which she accepted these invitations an indication...

Another episode that tackles the theme of expansion but from a slightly different angle, inspired by a simple quote that popped from Joanna's Facebook memory. The message resonated so powerfully that she wanted to share it with her wonderful listeners.   Starting over can be a bit daunting for some people, including Joanna. In this episode, our Host shares how she was able to gain clarity about th...

Over the weekend, an Introverted Influencer presented Joanna with a rundown of circumstances that could stress out an Introvert, yet, with no mention of strategies or tactics to address the stressors. This became the starting point for this episode, continuing Joanna's theme of "Expansion rather than Contraction."   In this episode, Joanna encourages us to refocus our minds on solutions not the pr...

Joanna was recently invited to contribute to an online magazine piece about Introvert memes. With her strong commitment to eradicating the extraversion bias in business and education, it is an opportunity she definitely wouldn't refuse. Our host was given a list of questions and her answer to the last one is undoubtedly not what the editors or readers were expecting.   In this brief but informativ...

In this episode, Joanna revisits The Drama Triangle by Stephen Karpman, and its altogether more empowering counterpart called The Empowerment Dynamic. Listen in as our Host explains the three dysfunctional personas of the Drama Triangle and the three C's of The Empowerment Dynamic, whilst sharing her understanding of these concepts.    As Introverts, we frequently hear that we should be different...

We've heard Joanna talk about her  FRAME Approach to Assertiveness in the previous episodes, where  "F"  is about connecting with how you are feeling about something that has happened or is happening. With the English language having around 3000 words for emotions, how well-versed are you in describing yours?   In this episode, Joanna talks us through a phrase that made absolute sense to her the m...

Confidence, assertiveness, and potential which comes first? Is one more important than the other? For Joanna, this triumvirate are all necessary and in symbiosis, yet they run the risk of being aimless. She believes that our goals, aspirations, or intentions are what stops these being aimless.   In this episode, Joanna explores the tricky subject of why goals are so important to unlocking our pote...

As the topic of assertiveness continues, Joanna delves further to better understand why it isn't easy for most Introverts. From conducting masterclasses to facilitating a couple of sessions to workshop people's trickier assertiveness challenges, she was able to recognize a common issue which is the perceived lack of confidence.   Fear is natural, but we have to be mindful of the difference between...

Running masterclasses on "Authentic Assertiveness" recently, reminded Joanna of how frustrating it can be to be overlooked and undervalued in the workplace. This simple reminder nudged Joanna to keep the topic of assertiveness on the agenda.   As Introverts, we often fall into behaving too passively when it comes to our rights or needs. This can happen as a result of us being expected to compromis...

Who doesn't love a little bit of magic? Joanna certainly does, and in this episode, she shares the magic she experienced from a wonderful session with an amazing coach who uses the Demartini Method. Joanna's coach truly helped her in shifting an issue she has been experiencing for decades. As you listen, get curious about what issues you need to shift so you get out of your own way.   Listen in as...

A wonderful extraverted introvert friend of Joanna's, asked a  fabulous and complex question, "How do you live as an Introvert or Highly-Sensitive Person with an irrational defensive person in your close orbit?" That question sparked this interesting and unusual episode.    Joanna shares her thoughts and a series of questions prompted by this situation through the lens of a Coach to her Coachee. T...

In this episode, Joanna welcomes a special guest, Nicole Louise Winer. Nicole Louise - a Social Introvert, is a former global investment banker who is now a brilliant business strategist, mentor, and coach that doesn't believe in "one size fits all" approaches as she empowers ambitious professionals to build profitable businesses they love without sacrifice.   Tune in as Joanna and Nicole Louise e...

Joanna always reminds us to step into our power and own our Introversion. This time, she introduces another helpful way to flourish which is by owning our triggers.   As adults, we must take responsibility for our own beliefs, choices, and actions. In this episode, Joanna shares some of the actions she took when taking stock along with the resultant outcomes, describes what toxic positivity is, ex...

In an article in We Are the City, Viviane de Beaufort (a professor of European Law at ESSEC Business School and an expert in public policy and lobbying), explores the reasons why women were turning down professional leadership positions. The article showed that 80% of the women interviewed, feared the job title wouldn't reflect reality, and 36% cited imposter syndrome.   With Joanna's purposefully...

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" is a saying that's not quite true for many Introverts, including Joanna. As Introverts, we're naturally overstimulated mentally, so a space where we are safe, can be vulnerable, and recharge our batteries is what we need.   But as Joanna said in this episode, we shouldn't stay in our comfort zones for so long that we become stagnant and resistant to ch...

Are you always pondering a question or two as an introvert? Joanna is, and in this short episode, she shares some of the questions pressing for attention right now. Joanna may not have all the answers, so she asks her listeners if they can shed some light on them for her. Not only might you be the one holding an answer to one of her questions, but you might also win a free place on her upcoming gr...

The catalyst for this episode was a morning spent at Joanna's favourite local spa and community garden with her husband Tony. On the way home, they struck up a conversation about the importance of adapting to the conditions we find ourselves in.   As Introverts, many feel they have to try to fix themselves because of the for the Extraversion bias so prevalent in society. Others only blame the envi...

In this episode, Joanna gives a warm welcome to her special guest, Woody Rini. Woody is the author of Help, I'm Overwhelmed: A 4 step method for escaping life's rip currents, which must surely be a book whose time has come, especially for introverts dealing with everyday overwhelm. Woody is an Open, Sociable, and Engaging Introvert, one of the  Extraverted-Introvert  types using Joanna's questionn...

We all know that us Introverts can oftentimes be self-contained and that we tend to project an image that we don't need friends. But as Joanna said, "We always need someone whom we can really trust, who understands and doesn't judge us—someone we can call a true friend."   As we celebrate and give gratitude to the people we value in our lives this first Sunday of August on Friendship Day, Joanna t...

We're hearing a lot about wellbeing in the workplace, but how many managers and leaders recognise that working in a business biased towards extraversion negatively impacts an introvert's wellbeing.   Join Joanna as she shares what Gallup had to say recently about 'The Rising Unhappiness Leaders Didn't See'. Introverts sadly will be all too familiar with this unhappiness and won't be surprised by t...