“Extroverts sparkle, introverts glow. Extroverts are fireworks, introverts are a fire in the hearth.” – Sophia Dembling
Studies have shown that introversion can hamper one’s ability to get social and assertive with the crowd. 21-year-old Ayushi also experienced something similar. Pursuing her Engineering now, Ayushi grew up in Kolkata. Growing up as an introvert, she spent most of her childhood digging into fictional books. As much as she loves reading, Ayushi also enjoys indulging in art and craft. She mostly has her hands-on creating stuff for herself and personally prefers acrylic colours as a medium of expression.
“I read a lot of books. That helped me stay comfortable inside my own shell of solitude.”
But, just as much as an introvert Ayushi was, she was also facing a lot of issues to gel along with her surroundings. She was having a setback with her conversation skills and would often be miles away from social gatherings. What created a huger issue was the fact that being an introvert forbade her from opening up her own feelings in front of anyone. Eventually, she was suggested to consult a counselor by a friend, hoping that it can help her adapt to some improvements.
“Initially, I didn’t know if I had problems worth sharing with a counselor. But, my friend came through for me and encouraged me to seek counseling.”
YourDOST being associated with Ayushi’s college, was the gateway for her to inculcate a much-needed change. She came in touch with a counselor – Ms Sudha Ananth via chat because of her introverted nature.
At the beginning of the counseling sessions, Ayushi had a mere idea of how it would turn out to be. She was clueless about the outcome and her resistance to sharing increased her doubts regarding its effectiveness.
“I was worried about the fact that I might not have enough things to talk about. It was already hard for me to open up, and having unfiltered, deep conversations were even more challenging for me.”
As the counseling sessions proceeded, Ayushi was put through certain techniques to overcome her introversion by Sudha. She was advised to expose herself to social gatherings which was the most difficult task for her. But what could be better than putting oneself in the shoes of their own fears? Soon, Ayushi was practising to stand in front of a mirror and face herself. She was advised to interact with her reflection in the mirror about how her day was and interrogate herself regarding various aspects. The goal here was to overcome her fear of interacting.
“I was starting to learn to interact with others in a better way. I was finally able to talk to people with whom I wasn’t close to.”
Ayushi was a person who would always be left behind from taking a lead in group activities. After the process of counseling, she was making it to the responsible positions with utter confidence. The introvert within her that forbade her from achieving her potential was now booming around with bravery and reliability.
Ayushi extends her hearty gratitude towards Sudha whom she describes as being incredibly understanding. Her initial concerns of being judged for expressing her difficulties fled into thin air after just a few sessions. Ayushi is definitely in a better place now.
“Sudha helped me through a very tough time. It was a wide range of topics that I had inside me. Through counseling, I could share anything that I wanted to.”
By now, Ayushi has become more socially aware and can socialise more effectively! She rates her improvement through counseling with YourDOST with a solid 4 out of 5. Being an introvert couldn’t change her capability to socialise and restrain from expression, after all, we human beings are social animals!
Ayushi’s Warrior Tips:
1. Having someone to vent out to, really helps.
2. Even if you don’t have a particular problem, you can still go to a counselor to improvise on yourself.
3. Everyone should at least try to express their feelings once. It can lead to beautiful beginnings.
Are you someone who has gone through a difficult phase and emerged stronger and better, with some professional help? Share your story with us to encourage thousands of others who might be struggling. Click here to submit your story.
