Hi Reader,

I often find myself telling people to "be more specific."
So let's explore how this theme shows up in the six sections of this monthly newsletter (plus an update at the end):

1. Thriving on Your Own
2. Job Search & Career Advice
3. Relationships & Communication
4. Businesses & Entrepreneurs
5. Mind-Body-Spirit Connection
6. Hobbies anyone?

1. Thriving on Your Own

If you don't know what you want, how will you seize the opportunities that will help you get there?

Almost 20 years ago, I realized I wanted to shift careers from engineering to something else, but I didn't know what that "else" meant back then. Instead of being stressed and trying to navigate this "fog," I made a specific decision: "I want to figure out what career shift I want by [due date]."

Guess what? It worked! That simple decision removed the stress of figuring things out all at once. And opened me up to seize opportunities that helped me find the right career direction for me (coaching). I've applied this tactic ever since.

What would help you be more specific when you think about what you want, or how to get there?

If you want more details about how this approach helped me find my new career direction, I shared the story in my award-winning book "Introverts: Leverage Your Strengths for an Effective Job Search." BTW, I’ve redesigned the book page and added sections to clarify the career stages it applies to and who can benefit from this book. What do you think of it?

2. Job Search & Career Advice

"It's been only three years. I don't want to leave now; there's so much more to learn!" she said. "There's always something to learn, even when you have a job you actually like. So why spend your time working in this field when you actually love another one?" I replied. She paused, smiling. "You're right, but I don't know how to get there."

Putting on my coaching "hat," I helped her figure out what she actually wants—since the field she's interested in is quite broad (with many job options). Then we brainstormed ideas on how to find those opportunities, using a blend of out-of-the-box thinking and proven strategies I've shared with thousands of introverts so far.

Being more specific—about what you already know you want—helps in finding specific ways to get there.
​If you need help to get more clarity about your job search or career development, check out the Introverts Academy's service Career Coaching for Introverts.

3. Relationships & Communication

Building good relationships (at work, with family members, or friends, etc.) also relies on how well we communicate. Here too, specificity is key:

• Choosing the right moment (when the person is open to listening)
• The tone of your voice and the right message that leads to a better outcome (instead of escalating)
• The non-verbal cues (like the attitude you bring)...

That's where systems coaching tools like the "Meta-Skills Wheel" help. Based on a client's suggestion, I renamed it as "Attitudes for Effective Communication"—since a meta-skill is an attitude you intentionally bring to the conversation. This tool helps you "split" the situation into several parts, allowing you to find new ways to better handle it.

While I often do webinars on this topic, I also included this tool in the books "Navigating the Relationship Landscape (with ease)" and "Introverts: Leverage Your Strengths for an Effective Job Search."

Looking for more support to get clarity on your Relationships and Communication?
Check out the Introverts Academy's offerings related to this topic.

4. Businesses & Entrepreneurs

At a recent event, I approached the Keynote speaker at his booth. "Tell me more about your business," I asked, pointing to his big banner. "At this moment, we're hiring." ​
​"Who do you hire?" I asked. "Everyone!" "Even for washing dishes?" I replied, smiling. "We hire everyone who's willing to learn. We can teach, and they can get the licenses." "Licenses for...?" "Actually, we have a lot of services for businesses, not just financials: operations, marketing, strategy..." "But your banner is about financial services." "Oh, the others are mentioned on another banner. I didn't bring it with me today." "Why not? Maybe someone would be interested."

That discussion could have been much shorter if he had provided specific answers from the beginning. "You have a point," he admitted when I pointed this out.

It's easier for others to spot our blind spots. They act as a mirror that can bring valuable insights if we're open to it. Are you?

Take the quiz "What's Your Entrepreneurial Blind Spot?" to identify some of yours. And if you need help to address them or overcome other challenges, we also offer Business Coaching.

5. Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

Coming back to having a 'foggy' mind—several reasons could lead to this:
• It's not the right time to get the specific idea we think we need, or maybe we're looking in the wrong direction.
• Fatigue, which affects the mind's clarity and blocks access to intuition.
• Lack of patience, putting pressure on ourselves to get results faster.
• Being in a toxic environment, which triggers the 'survival' instead of 'thriving' mode.
• How we handle the situation (allowing negative thoughts to affect our mood).
• Unconscious beliefs that run our life on autopilot, etc.

If you'd like more clarity and specific ideas, how aware are you of the above aspects?
What can you do to minimize their potential negative impact?
​
​Check out the Introverts Academy's Wholistic Health & Well-Being to see how we can help.

6. Hobbies anyone?

How are you doing in this area? A hobby can be any project or challenge you willingly take on (even if it might not seem enjoyable at the beginning).

Two weeks before having a booth at The Word On The Street Book Festival, I gave myself a challenge: to post daily on Instagram the stories behind my books. Although it was a little strange, I continued. And, in the end, I realized that I had regained the habit of posting something daily (after a several years). Even more interesting, after that event I took it over to TikTok and discovered that I enjoy creating content there first (then reposting it on other platforms).

I love being creative and I was missing that part. So what seemed like a chore has become my daily creative expression. TikTok helps me with topic suggestions and I'm slowly working on finding a style that suits my preferences (I'm not there yet, but I'm enjoying the process).

Being specific is part of a hobby as well. ​
​Progress is better than perfect—don't let the introvert's proverbial perfectionism stop you!

Last but not least:

• Introverts Academy (IA) now offers free monthly sessions: "Ask the IA Founder (Q&A)." Join us if you want to get answers to your specific questions, learn more about IA's offerings, and hear the latest updates.
• Since I keep referring to introvert strengths, I aim to publish in November "Awaken Your Introvert Strengths: A Self-Coaching Journal for Reflection and Growth" (100+ Strengths to Enlighten Your Path). I'm looking for ten Beta Readers who will receive the journal when it's ready—in exchange for providing feedback. Please reply if you're interested in helping me this way!

Gabriela Casineanu, MSc, MBA
​Clarity ➤ Strategy ➤ Mindset ➤ Systems ➤ Accountability for Introverts, Entrepreneurs, Organizations
Founder / CEO of Introverts Academy • Award-Winning Author​
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