So it's women s week ... Not just International women s day I'd say. I've always been a pro feminist and this was just another amazing way to celebrate what we are who we are what we deserve lots of W s 😀well so I got an amazing opportunity to be a panel in the Women s Initiative for leadership success at work. I 'm greatful for this chance for it opened up so many new facts I discovered about myself. So whilst most of my time is invested in strategizing investment avenues for so and so client this was a tad different from the daily mundane work day.
At first I was not shocked that a survey I took prior to my preparation for this event, I fell into the introvert category not even a ambivert huh which is in between extrovert and introvert. I must admit I'm just a practised extrovert but a true introvert when it comes to just the real me. I love my space, my time with my bumble bee boy, and my own work out or unwinding time. I know how many girlfriend gang meet ups I have turned down ( back in India) bcos it's overwhelming for me now in my 30 s all I hear is bickering and why don't you join us often if at all I landed up in one, inquisitiveness at its best why don't you also do this and that ,endless talks about expensive trips they make with their families and blah blah not to forget free advice at its best especially if their kids are older to yours . Well I love my friends but sad to say I feel disconnected bcos I can't be a part of these talks anymore. Even if I'm a part of something like that i'm surely not in the moment. Oh then the analogy that I'm too involved with my boy hence I've changed I should take time out well maybe yes for you guys but if I go to think about it I've always been the so called introvert. I was a bookworm and a total geek just that I had good eyesight so did not look like a geek with those fat spectacles to add on. Also I never dated a guy in college bcos or maybe bcos I was a geek or bcos I never gave any cues for that girlfriend material I carried a no nonsense label on me most often . After college while the girls would go out for movies or with their boyfriends i would run back home to take a computer class. They would force me to bunk my computer class but not even once I did I was persistent with my daily chores. My evenings were swim or play a sport or just read books and a quick catch up with my best friend Aarti in the building for a walk. We'd talk about inventions, history, music, wanderlust trips, camera, technology and end it having a bhel puri chat and happily return home. I would study all night if I had exams coming closer I was always well prepared for my exams. I would laugh at my friends who would call me to share their sob stories about their break ups bcos I could not connect a thing here. In school my gang involved 4 girls and we enjoyed each other's company lost to a different world all together but my grades shocked the teachers again. Because I knew my stuff just that the introvert me I would never stand up and involve myself in a class participation whilst most others did it to score browny points from the teacher. So when I shared my story today at this awesome panel at work while today I'm a 35 year old mom, I was astonished to know even in the west where I live there were many others just like me. Almost everyone scored more yes (es) and were not shocked bcos from a behavioral standpoint we all are practised extroverts bcos our job wants us to do that or we have the pressure of doing so.
I gave a hearty laugh to the audience when I shared my story about how in my previous job where it involved high level sales and meeting large investment managers, exchanging business cards long days of back to back meetings and conference high tea, lunches, and the most boring part the evening cocktails 😅😅 put up artificial smiles and show off that you have a drink in your hand ! I have literally sneaked out of these especially in New York City who wants to spend your evenings talking about money and investment products again no way haha . Me and my only female colleague Neha have ran out many a times out of these parties very quietly and laughed it out totally.We'd go to Times Square and stand in the Long line with teenagers for a cold stone ice cream and hide our faces when we saw a acquaintance who was a client in the conference looks like he sneaked out too lol . Whilst my male colleagues would enjoy their drinks and chat with clients and score browny points with boss but of course. I have sneaked out almost every time after these long conference and
meeting days and caught up on a broadway show alone . I'd walk alone in Times Square stop by a guy dancing hip hop and crowd cheering him and then a colleague would call me where are you boss is looking for you we are all going for dinner so ... I'd say why should I join you guys not again oh come on I'd make excuses like no I'm going to stay back in my hotel room bcos I'm just very tired. That was the anti social label I carried at work but If I want to unwind without the office gang so be it!
So the women s day panel and meeting ended with a Arianna Huffington s' post and a beautiful video on a introvert women im posting the link here.http://youtu.be/c0KYU2j0TM4 this is a must watch Well so according to Arianna and research at Wharton school of business (by the way I love this women and her Ted Talks ) most introverts are not shy they are smart and intelligent bcos they are well read and creative they do not necessarily or always believe in participating in a meeting to show off their intellectual point but they are involved and they are busy processing in their minds what is required to do next. They end up in jobs with analytical skills and research. I love being an introvert. It just makes me more powerful especially after I walk out of this meeting agreeing it ain't bad to be an introvert. It's just more powerful to be one.....
At first I was not shocked that a survey I took prior to my preparation for this event, I fell into the introvert category not even a ambivert huh which is in between extrovert and introvert. I must admit I'm just a practised extrovert but a true introvert when it comes to just the real me. I love my space, my time with my bumble bee boy, and my own work out or unwinding time. I know how many girlfriend gang meet ups I have turned down ( back in India) bcos it's overwhelming for me now in my 30 s all I hear is bickering and why don't you join us often if at all I landed up in one, inquisitiveness at its best why don't you also do this and that ,endless talks about expensive trips they make with their families and blah blah not to forget free advice at its best especially if their kids are older to yours . Well I love my friends but sad to say I feel disconnected bcos I can't be a part of these talks anymore. Even if I'm a part of something like that i'm surely not in the moment. Oh then the analogy that I'm too involved with my boy hence I've changed I should take time out well maybe yes for you guys but if I go to think about it I've always been the so called introvert. I was a bookworm and a total geek just that I had good eyesight so did not look like a geek with those fat spectacles to add on. Also I never dated a guy in college bcos or maybe bcos I was a geek or bcos I never gave any cues for that girlfriend material I carried a no nonsense label on me most often . After college while the girls would go out for movies or with their boyfriends i would run back home to take a computer class. They would force me to bunk my computer class but not even once I did I was persistent with my daily chores. My evenings were swim or play a sport or just read books and a quick catch up with my best friend Aarti in the building for a walk. We'd talk about inventions, history, music, wanderlust trips, camera, technology and end it having a bhel puri chat and happily return home. I would study all night if I had exams coming closer I was always well prepared for my exams. I would laugh at my friends who would call me to share their sob stories about their break ups bcos I could not connect a thing here. In school my gang involved 4 girls and we enjoyed each other's company lost to a different world all together but my grades shocked the teachers again. Because I knew my stuff just that the introvert me I would never stand up and involve myself in a class participation whilst most others did it to score browny points from the teacher. So when I shared my story today at this awesome panel at work while today I'm a 35 year old mom, I was astonished to know even in the west where I live there were many others just like me. Almost everyone scored more yes (es) and were not shocked bcos from a behavioral standpoint we all are practised extroverts bcos our job wants us to do that or we have the pressure of doing so.
I gave a hearty laugh to the audience when I shared my story about how in my previous job where it involved high level sales and meeting large investment managers, exchanging business cards long days of back to back meetings and conference high tea, lunches, and the most boring part the evening cocktails 😅😅 put up artificial smiles and show off that you have a drink in your hand ! I have literally sneaked out of these especially in New York City who wants to spend your evenings talking about money and investment products again no way haha . Me and my only female colleague Neha have ran out many a times out of these parties very quietly and laughed it out totally.We'd go to Times Square and stand in the Long line with teenagers for a cold stone ice cream and hide our faces when we saw a acquaintance who was a client in the conference looks like he sneaked out too lol . Whilst my male colleagues would enjoy their drinks and chat with clients and score browny points with boss but of course. I have sneaked out almost every time after these long conference and
meeting days and caught up on a broadway show alone . I'd walk alone in Times Square stop by a guy dancing hip hop and crowd cheering him and then a colleague would call me where are you boss is looking for you we are all going for dinner so ... I'd say why should I join you guys not again oh come on I'd make excuses like no I'm going to stay back in my hotel room bcos I'm just very tired. That was the anti social label I carried at work but If I want to unwind without the office gang so be it!
So the women s day panel and meeting ended with a Arianna Huffington s' post and a beautiful video on a introvert women im posting the link here.http://youtu.be/c0KYU2j0TM4 this is a must watch Well so according to Arianna and research at Wharton school of business (by the way I love this women and her Ted Talks ) most introverts are not shy they are smart and intelligent bcos they are well read and creative they do not necessarily or always believe in participating in a meeting to show off their intellectual point but they are involved and they are busy processing in their minds what is required to do next. They end up in jobs with analytical skills and research. I love being an introvert. It just makes me more powerful especially after I walk out of this meeting agreeing it ain't bad to be an introvert. It's just more powerful to be one.....
