I’ve learned my strengths and limits as an introvert as I’ve navigated my professional journey. Ask me about a topic I’m passionate about, and I can talk for hours… even to a roomful of people. Ask me to make small talk, and I have to work much harder.

How do introverts build visibility for their own business in a way that feels authentic?

That question came to life hilariously in a recent clip from The Curiosity Shop podcast. Brene Brown, Simon Sinek, and Adam Grant laugh at themselves as they compare their rules around social interaction.

I’m navigating multiple transitions at once, both personal and professional. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. The timing wasn’t mine to choose, and I’m still finding my way through the uncertainty and newness. But lately, I’ve started leans towards the messy middle is not something to simply endure, but rathe it might be where some of our most important growth happens.

Change can feel hard, messy, and scary. When we begin to see a little light, it can also feel exciting. I keep thinking about the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly.

After sharing my daily gratitude ritual last week, I decided to take it one step further: instead of simply noting and reflecting upon my gratitude, I would share it with the person I appreciated. What a concept, right? Actually telling someone how much their words, actions, or presence have meant to me. It sounds simple, but I noticed myself hesitating. That made me curious. What was holding me back and what could I learn by facing it head-on?

Today, I opened “The Five Minute Journal” to make sure I remembered it correctly. My sister, Laura, gave it to me a year ago when I was quietly going through a dark time in my life. She has always been good about writing in a journal. Me? Not so much. I’ve never thought of myself as a good writer, and I can talk much faster than I can write. Plus, I like to be efficient.

I never wrote a single word in the book. But I did make myself a promise: I would follow its message in a way that worked for me. The journal offers a simple structure: