Do you still feel pressure of conform? If no, what age did it stop?
As human beings I think we all feel pressure to conform to a certain extent. And we should. In our daily lives we all adhere to certain norms in order to gain acceptance from society. I get dressed every morning and brush my teeth to conform to what is expected of me as a person. And if I didn't, I would hurt a lot of people's feelings! We abide by traffic rules and regulations to ensure the safety of our fellow human beings on the road. If I drove on the left side of the road tomorrow morning I would be a huge safety hazard to all. And I would be given the bird by fellow drivers and rightly so! Conformity is not a bad thing; it all depends on context.
To turn the table a little on conformity, I no longer feel pressure to conform to others expectations of how I should act. I am by nature a quiet introvert. I digest information differently than extroverts do. I used to question why I couldn't be more talkative or outgoing like my younger sisters. I think I have embraced my introversion over the past few years. I am much more comfortable in my skin as an introvert. In fact, about 30 minutes into my last job interview, my interviewer asked if I was an introvert to which I proudly said yes. And I got the job! For all of my fellow introverts out there, I suggest you pick up the acclaimed New York Times bestselling book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and felt empowered after reading the stories of other quiet people navigating the often high charged world of work. Below is a link to the author's website--check it out!
The Power of Introverts- Susan Cain
As human beings I think we all feel pressure to conform to a certain extent. And we should. In our daily lives we all adhere to certain norms in order to gain acceptance from society. I get dressed every morning and brush my teeth to conform to what is expected of me as a person. And if I didn't, I would hurt a lot of people's feelings! We abide by traffic rules and regulations to ensure the safety of our fellow human beings on the road. If I drove on the left side of the road tomorrow morning I would be a huge safety hazard to all. And I would be given the bird by fellow drivers and rightly so! Conformity is not a bad thing; it all depends on context.
To turn the table a little on conformity, I no longer feel pressure to conform to others expectations of how I should act. I am by nature a quiet introvert. I digest information differently than extroverts do. I used to question why I couldn't be more talkative or outgoing like my younger sisters. I think I have embraced my introversion over the past few years. I am much more comfortable in my skin as an introvert. In fact, about 30 minutes into my last job interview, my interviewer asked if I was an introvert to which I proudly said yes. And I got the job! For all of my fellow introverts out there, I suggest you pick up the acclaimed New York Times bestselling book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and felt empowered after reading the stories of other quiet people navigating the often high charged world of work. Below is a link to the author's website--check it out!
The Power of Introverts- Susan Cain
Fellow bloggers, what do you think about the pressure to conform?
Yes re the book, from a fellow introvert. It is reassuring to understand the biology behind our distinct behaviors. It also helps me be more tolerant of those annoying extroverts :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed the book and can relate as a fellow introvert!
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