Unlocking Potential have been a great source of support in my journey to growing my own confidence and helping others.
Five years ago, I joined their Stand Out from the Crowd course to support me in making a career change -it was here I met two of my incredible team members, Michele and Gemma- and since then I’ve been supported in finding and developing in a graduate job and, more recently, starting up Quiet Connections.
It was here, on their Breakthrough course, that I first received any business support. My seed of an idea began to grow as I, again, stepped outside of my comfort zone and expanded my vision.
You can watch my Breakthrough story below, or read it here.
Hi, I’m Hayley - the original quieteer. I, too, identify as a quiet person. I’m naturally a highly sensitive introvert and I love and appreciate my quiet strengths now, but I spent much of my life not feeling good enough and experiencing social anxiety. I missed so many opportunities because I was afraid of being judged harshly, criticised and rejected – and because I doubted that I had the ‘right’ personality to succeed. Quiet Connections exists in part because I had a fantastic coach who helped me to work through old patterns of keeping myself small and hidden so that I could show up and be seen to play my part in creating the more connected, curious and compassionate world that I dream of. Now, I’m passionate about helping quiet people discover their unique qualities, gifts, passions and experiences and explore how best to use these to express themselves more authentically and contribute to the world in a way that works with their quieter or more sensitive nature. Get to know me here.
Have you ever felt like the job interview is institutionalised discrimination against introverts? When I fill out a job application or write a CV, my introvert skills serve me well. I can research thoroughly, carefully consider an employer’s needs and how my skills might fit, and then present that information coherently. I’m often invited to interview for 4…
Some days just feel… heavy. They arrive unannounced, bringing a tangled mix of exhaustion, overwhelm, and a longing for something softer, something easier. Maybe today is one of those days for you. Perhaps it started before you even opened your eyes, with a mind already full of all the things that need to be done….
One of our favourite things about running a programme like Socially Anxious to Quietly Confident (which runs online twice a year) is seeing our Quieteers grow and achieve things they once didn’t think possible. It’s one thing to tell you about our personal stories on the path from social anxiety to quiet confidence, but you really…
Birthdays come with a lot of expectations. It can feel like, to have a “successful” birthday, you need to be surrounded by a massive group of friends, having a big, visible celebration. For many of us quieter people, these expectations can feel heavy when our birthdays roll around. It can feel like a challenge to…
Speaking at Cornwall Business Fair alongside Sally Heard, CEO from Cornwall School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), I opened up about the hidden challenges of social entrepreneurship: feeling like you’re not good enough and don’t belong here. The imposter experience is something I think the majority of us have experienced, be that in our careers or personal…
“There is the work that you physically make, but there’s also the journey that happens on the inside.” – Leonardo Drew What if by exploring and reflecting on your own experiences you saw yourself in a different light? What if something you created offered hope to another who was feeling alone in their anxieties and…
