Hi Reader,

Chasing progress or perfection? That's the question ... for today! :-)
With that in mind, let's dive into these topics:

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

For a second, I wondered what I would’ve accomplished this summer if we hadn’t had such high temperatures. Since I’m more of a cold-temperature / winter type, I had to adjust to doing more in the mornings and evenings.

Knowing your preferences and adjusting your life to accommodate them helps more than you think. It’s good to strive for perfection, but progress is even better—especially when you enjoy the journey. Why? Because progress allows you to harmonize the different aspects of your life, instead of getting stuck in perfecting one and neglecting the others. Sounds familiar?

What about you? For our redesigned website, I’ve created a quiz (based on the Wheel of Life) to help you uncover what’s missing in your life (or not enough) right now—and better assess your priorities—to move forward with ease. Interested? You can take the quiz Discover Your Hidden Priorities​ here.

2. Job Search & Career Advice

I recently sat down with Dozie Anyaegbunam on his podcast, The Newcomers. We had a great discussion that's also relevant for anyone navigating a career change, moving to a new city, or exploring a new field. As mentioned in the interview, using a beginner’s mind can also help progress during a major shift.

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Listen to the full interview here:
Substack: https://lnkd.in/gYjcnhbe ; YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gB-r7Y6j​
Apple: https://lnkd.in/gTUXQq8F : Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gK7Jsxqr​

3. Relationships & Communication

In a recent in-person workshop I’ve done—Beyond Stereotypes: How Personality Traits Influence Company Growth—someone asked: “How can we handle a conversation when someone tries to push their perspective on us?”
If you're curious about my answer or you want to make progress in your interpersonal communication, join us for the September 17 webinar:
​How to Prepare for and Navigate Difficult Conversations (Without Anxiety).
You’ll also leave with a versatile ‘tool’ that will help you navigate tough conversations.

If you’d like more resources, check the Relationships & Communication section of the Introverts Academy redesigned website.

4. Businesses & Entrepreneurs

We now also have quizzes for introverted entrepreneurs and businesses with teams on our newly redesigned website!
Why? Because it’s hard to get from where you are to where you want to be when you’re missing important elements that help you progress strategically. Our quizzes can help point out some of the missing pieces.

On a related note, I’m happy to share: the redesigned website for Introverts Academy is now live on a faster platform! It might not be perfect, but a website is always a work in progress. It has been four years since we launched, and it was long overdue for an update. We’d appreciate your feedback on the new site: IntrovertsAcademy.org. Just hit reply and let us know what you think. There's even a section about money, I'll let you find it. :-)

5. Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

Talk about perfection! I started painting with no training, completely ignoring those who looked down on self-taught artists. I wasn't even looking to build an art career. I just felt an inner push to paint.
I didn't care about others' opinions because they had nothing to do with my urge to paint. Soon, I ditched the brushes, which were restricting my hand movements, and began painting intuitively with my fingers. I eventually compiled my paintings and reflections in the book, Spiritual Concepts: A Visual Representation.

When readers shared they gained insights from my paintings—or discovered that they didn't need to stick with painting rules—it hit me:

the inner urge to paint was my soul's way of expressing something that others might benefit from.

What does your soul urge you to do? Did you give it a try?
Or did you give up because you couldn't reach perfection fast enough?

In this video, hypnotherapist Dolores Cannon summarizes it beautifully: "Do what you love to stop getting sick." And if you do get sick, rest because you’ve likely pushed yourself more than you needed to. This concept certainly worked for me and influenced my life's twists and turns, even before I was fully aware of it.

6. Hobbies anyone?

Many people believe there's not enough time for hobbies. "I don't have time for this!" they say. But do they have time for doing nothing because they're too stressed?

If that sounds familiar, you might be surprised by the questions in the "Hobbies & Recreation" section of the quiz "Discover Your Hidden Priorities." You don't have to be perfect at what you do, not even for a hobby.

Gabriela Casineanu, MSc, MBA
​Helps introverts & businesses identify their blind spots, and leverage their strengths to drive meaningful impact​
Founder / CEO of Introverts Academy • Award-Winning Author​
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