The difference between boundaries and barriers Creating and maintaining healthy boundaries are an essential part of creating a life in which you can thrive as an introvert.  But they can often be very tricky!  In this post we’re going to be talking about what a healthy boundary actually is and the difference between boundaries and barriers. What is a healthy boundary? Boundaries are limits that you can place around the ways that other people are allowed to behave around you and how you will respond when someone steps outside these agreed limits. Setting boundaries is an important ..read more

Is it possible to change personality type? Do you ever wish that you were a different MBTI personality type? Perhaps, for example, you find yourself thinking that life would be easier if you were an extrovert. If so, then this blog post is for you! When I tell people that I use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as part of my work, I often then get a lot of questions about how MBTI works, whether it’s robust, all of those kinds of questions. But one of the most common questions I also hear all the time is whether it is possible to change type. Very often this comes from someone who c ..read more

How do you know when your life is on the right track? Some of my favourite clients to work with are those who are on the cusp on making big changes in their lives and who are trying to identify their ‘purpose’ or ‘calling.’  I always find it exciting to watch someone move from overwhelmed and confused to accessing the wisdom they already have within. Sometimes people have no idea what to do next, they just know that something needs to change.  But, very often, people already know what it is that they are being called to do; they need to go through a process in order to give themse ..read more

The Well Performing Introvert’s Guide to Impromptu Communication *This is a guest post by Jen Oleniczak Brown*  I am an introvert. People that know me well, know I am an introvert. People that know of me think I’m lying when I say this. You see, I’m a good listener and super focused. I don’t like going to big social events – or even medium ones – and when I have to social for too long, I am exhausted. I’ve been known to sit in my car, just to have quiet. Just last week I got home and just sat in my parking spot because I didn’t even want to talk to my husband, who I happen to love ..read more

Finding meaningful employment as an introvert I started The Introvert Library after experiencing burn-out and chronic illness as a result of a workplace environment which was not at all suited to my health and wellbeing. I know firsthand just how miserable life can be when your career is leaving you drained and exhausted.  And this is a problem that is all too common. I care passionately about supporting introverts to thrive and we spend so much of our lives at work that finding a way of working that is suited to your personality type is an essential aspect of creating a life you ..read more

Am I an introvert? Despite the stereotypes, being an introvert isn’t all about how quiet and/or bombastic you are.  There’s actually a lot more to it!  And while some people are like me and never have any doubts about our introversion, for other people it can be harder to identify where they fall on the spectrum of introversion and extroversion. It’s therefore not at all surprising that one of the questions I frequently get asked is ‘Am I an introvert?  How can I tell?’ If you’ve ever felt unsure about whether you are an introvert, then today’s blog post is for you!  The true wisd ..read more

Overcoming fear of failure The emotion of ‘fear of failure’ is probably one that is experienced by all people at least sometimes.  But if we want to create lives in which we can truly thrive, then one of the most important skills we can learn is how to not let that fear prevent us from moving forward. I’ll be totally honest and say that this is a skill that I am definitely still learning myself!  But I suspect that this is probably true for everyone and I hope that my sharing some of what I have learned so far will still be useful to you even though I can’t yet see the full pictur ..read more

Five secrets to help you worry less about other people’s opinions I have watched far too many people try to fit themselves into a life that makes them miserable simply because they are too worried about other people’s opinions. We spend so much of our lives in the futile attempt to control other people’s opinions of us.  Ask yourself honestly, how much of your life do you spend worrying about what other people might think about you or your actions?  Do you like your answer? If not, the first thing I want to say is ‘don’t be too hard on yourself.’  The fear of rejection from the gr ..read more

7 steps to setting healthy boundaries Setting healthy boundaries is an essential part of creating a life in which you can thrive as an introvert.  Exactly how difficult you find this process will vary depending on your personality, upbringing and past experiences, but most people struggle at least to some extent with setting healthy boundaries.  If you’re someone who struggles with setting healthy boundaries then I hope these 7 steps empower you to think and act differently in the future when it comes to setting healthy boundaries. And, if you’ve found your way straight to this bl ..read more

Even introverts can get too much alone time In general, I am a definite advocate for introverts’ need for alone time.  I believe that getting enough alone time is an essential aspect of creating a life in which you can thrive as a sensitive introvert. I therefore dedicate a fair amount of energy to using The Introvert Library as a platform to explain why alone time is a non-negotiable need for introverts. So I’m sure you can imagine my surprise when I recently realised that I had actually been getting too much alone time. The fact that I work from home means that I can often go se ..read more