Connector of Talent and Success 💼 | Empowering Businesses to Thrive through People | Culture Growth Strategist | Coach | Writer | HR leader | #1 LinkedIn Belgium | Top #150 LinkedIn 🌍

Who I help: Ambitious introverts and people-first companies

Problems: Visibility without burnout, quiet leadership, culture that enables deep work

Outcomes: Promotions, role transitions, retention, high-trust cultures

STRATEGIC HR LEADER AND COACH WITH HANDS-ON APPROACH AIMING FOR THE BEST EMPLOYEE/BUSINESS EXPERIENCE - INTROVERT ADVOCATE

International HR Executive passionate about the link between employee experience and business dynamics. Combining a strong focus on strategic thinking and planning with a structured and factual hands-on approach. A positive well connected team coach with a natural sense of empowering team members in a spirit of challenge, learning and mutual recognition. Sound decision making capabilities based on critical reflections within companies focusing on innovation, change, digital transformation and learning.

A. Group HR Director Alter Pharma (200 FTE - BE/IRL/US) – private equity backed firm defining & implementing HR strategy (from strategy to operations) including definition of mission/vision/strategy & values.
B. Global HR Business Partner BU Kerley international/Tessenderlo Group (+/-300 employees - 11 countries) developing/transforming key HR processes (talent resource planning, talent acquisition, performance management, competency management, learning, reward,..) - HR project lead new factory Rouen, France. 
C. Global HR Executive SWIFT (+/- 3.000 employees in +25 countries) transforming/coaching business and HR into new ways of (digital) working/thinking to improve the employee and business experience 
D. Global Head of Reward Tessenderlo Group (+/- 5.000 employees in +25 countries) - strategic development/transformation reward strategy
E. Development new holistic performance management framework for Tessenderlo Group, including full implementation recognition stream.
F. HR Project Manager : move of the Chiquita EME Headquarters from Belgium to Switzerland (social plan negotiations, c&b setup, recruitment, mobility, new policy/process design,...)

Professional coaching certification Better Minds at Work               2018 - 2019
Centre for Creative Leadership - senior leadership program           Q1-2 2018
Management Development Programme Vlerick (17 days)		  2010 - 2011
Strategic Compensation & Benefits Management, Vlerick 		  2007      
Master degree in Law&Taxation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven    1997 - 1998

Steven Claes

She had the highest retention in the company.
They passed her over twice.

The feedback? "Needs more presence in leadership meetings."

But when I dug deeper:
→ Her teams stayed longer than anyone else's
→ Her projects delivered early, consistently
→ Her cross-functional relationships were the strongest in the division

She wasn't lacking presence. The organization hadn't learned to recognize her kind of leadership yet.

I've watched this play out for 20 years as a CHRO.

The quiet leader gets labeled "not a team player." The thoughtful contributor gets told to "speak up more." The one who needs processing time gets dinged for lacking executive presence.

Meanwhile, they're the ones noticing what everyone else missed. Thinking three steps ahead while others are still talking through step one. Building relationships that actually matter instead of collecting business cards.

We're not shy. We're not stuck up.
We're listening. Observing. Taking it in before we speak.

And if an introvert opens up to you? Know that trust was carefully given.

Your way of showing up isn't wrong. It's just different, and often exactly what your team needs.

📩 Daily success as an introvert? These are the techniques I swear by: 
https://lnkd.in/eSdKpkMs

🔁 Know an underrated introvert? Repost this to remind them they’re not alone.

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CHRO | Introvert Advocate | Career Growth for Ambitious Introverts | HR Leadership Coach | Writer | Newsletter: The A+ Introvert (60% Open Rate)

Your workplace was not designed for you.

Not if you're an introvert.
And no one wants to talk about it.

You have no idea what storms people are walking through. But for introverts, the workplace often adds to the storm instead of offering shelter.

Every day you're fighting a quiet battle.
Meetings that drain you.
Open plans that scatter your focus.
The constant pressure to "be more visible."

You just want to do good work without exhausting yourself.

The truth is most introverts are walking through storms alone. And no one sees it.
➟ They deliver excellent work, then watch someone louder get the credit
➟ Back-to-back meetings leave zero time to recover
➟ They hear "speak up more" when their strength is thoughtful contribution

Ping pong tables and pizza Fridays?
Nice. But they do not fix what's actually draining you.

"Be more visible" and "network more"?
That advice ignores how introverts actually build influence.

What introverts need to do their best work:
✅ Leaders who value depth over volume
✅ Recognition for written work, not just who speaks loudest in meetings
✅ Meeting-free blocks for actual focus time
✅ Permission to recharge without feeling guilty about it
✅ Career paths that do not require constant performance
✅ Time for thoughtful processing before decisions
✅ Cultures where reflection counts as much as quick reaction

This is what makes introverts want to stay.
A workplace that honours different strengths.
That recognises quiet confidence.
Where people succeed without burning out by Tuesday.

What is ONE thing your workplace does (or does not do) that makes the biggest difference for you?

🔁 Repost this if you want to support introverts in your network.
📩 My weekly A+Introvert Newsletter → see profile 👆 or featured section

They said I was too much.
Turns out they were too limited.

A brilliant CHRO told me recently: "Steven, I've spent 15 years toning down my opinions, holding back, pretending shallow conversations were enough when depth is all I've ever craved."

I understood immediately.

I've lived it too.

Softened my directness to seem "diplomatic."
Smoothed my edges to appear "approachable."
Pretended small talk satisfied me when I was hungry for real connection.

And I ended up feeling like an outsider.

Because I WAS an outsider in places where I'd shrunk myself just to belong.

The pond people have labeled me:

→ Too quiet (meaning: you're hard to read, and that unsettles me)
→ Too direct (meaning: you skip the performance, and I can't handle that)
→ Too intense (meaning: you make me think, and I'd rather not)
→ Too ambitious the "wrong way" (meaning: you chase impact, not just visibility)

But two decades as a CHRO taught me this: Every time you shrink yourself, you train people to expect less from you.

When you're constantly making yourself smaller:
→ You attract relationships that require you to stay small
→ You master the art of being less than you are
→ You construct a career that fits everyone but you

I once believed the introvert advantage meant networking like an extrovert. Speaking louder. Being more visible.

I was wrong.

The true advantage? Recognizing that your need for substance IS your value.

When I stopped apologizing for choosing depth over surface, everything shifted.

1️⃣ You stop dimming your light so others feel comfortable in their mediocrity.

2️⃣ You surround yourself with people who see your intensity as integrity.

3️⃣ You discover your tribe. The ones who view thoughtfulness as strength, not a flaw to fix.

The teams needing someone to navigate complexity? They relied on me.
The cultures hungry for authentic leadership? They found me.

But only because I showed up fully. Not the diluted version.

Not everyone can handle you at full strength.
That's not yours to fix.

The people meant for you? They'll swim out to meet you in deep water, even if it scares them.

The rest will stay on shore, insisting the ocean is "too much."

Let them.

If you're an ocean, stop shrinking yourself into a pond.

If you're built for depth, you don't have a career problem.
You have a boundary problem.

The moment you address that, everything transforms.

As 2026 starts: Which boundary will you finally protect in the year ahead?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share if you're an ocean refusing to become a pond

📩 Join Weekly depth in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

Years ago, I watched HR let someone go for being "too quiet."
I was once that quiet person too.

The official reasoning?
"Lacks energy."
"Not aligned with our culture."

But after twenty years leading teams, I've learned what genuine enthusiasm actually looks like:

Arrives prepared.
Delivers excellent work.
Communicates with clarity.
Elevates others.

That's what deserves recognition.

Yet too many organizations still reward:
• Volume over substance
• Reaction over reflection
• Perception over results

I've been in those performance conversations.
I've read the carefully worded feedback.
I've watched exceptional people walk away because they weren't loud enough.

Excellence doesn't require a spotlight.
Impact doesn't demand a stage.
Results outweigh small talk every time.

We get it wrong when we:
• Label quiet as a weakness
• Treat extroversion as the culture standard
• Mistake personality for capability

Genuine enthusiasm shows up as:
✓ Reliability
✓ Craftsmanship
✓ Steady presence
✓ Measurable impact

The strongest teams don't pick between energy and depth.
They embrace both.

They need you. Whether quiet or loud.

Stop penalizing quiet excellence.
Start tracking what actually matters.

As we step into 2026: What will you measure differently this year?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share if you believe quiet work deserves loud recognition

📩 Weekly insights for ambitious introverts in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

"Don't fall in love with success. Fall in love with the habits that bring success."

That would've saved me years.

Twenty years ago, I was the ambitious introvert.
Crushing tasks. Exceeding targets. Getting nowhere.

Then my mentor pulled me aside.
"You're winning battles. But you're losing the war."

I was working harder than anyone else in the room.
But I was still invisible.

Success is borrowed. Habits are owned.

The project you deliver? That's success.
The deep work that made it brilliant? That's a habit.

The recognition you earn? Success.
The daily rituals that keep you going? Habit.

Chase success without habits, and you're building a career on sand.
Build the right habits, and success has no choice but to follow.

Quiet leaders who last do not fall in love with the spotlight.
They fall in love with:

⏰ Morning routines that protect their energy
🚫 Calendar blocks that make space for focused work
🤔 Time for reflection that sharpens judgment
📚 Reading habits that widen perspective
🛡️Boundaries that preserve their sanity

Promotions can be delayed.
Bonuses can be cut.
Recognition can be missed.

But habits?
They compound.
They decide who you become.

The introvert's edge isn't volume.
It's systems that keep working when the noise fades.
__________
Repost if you're done proving yourself and ready to build yourself

I built some tools for Introverts around exactly this. https://lnkd.in/eSdKpkMs

Mohit Valecha 🧢

They told me to fix my introversion.
I redesigned my environment instead.

As one year ends and another begins, this feels worth repeating:

We're introverts. Not broken. Just wired differently.

I spent two decades as a CHRO watching the same cycle repeat.
The loudest voices got attention while the deepest thinkers got overlooked.

Quick reactions earned praise. Thoughtful strategies got buried in the noise.

That's when it clicked.

We don't compete on volume. We compete on depth.

We form fewer bonds but stronger ones.
Not because we struggle to connect widely, but because we choose connection intentionally.

We restore in stillness.
We discover power in pause.

This isn't weakness. It's strategy.

We're not hiding or hesitant.
We're preserving our energy for what truly matters.

The data confirms what we've always sensed:

• Introverted leaders achieve significantly higher team retention because we listen more than we speak
• We excel in complex problem-solving because we reflect before we act
• Our deep work generates far more innovation because we prioritize substance over speed

Depth outperforms width. Always.

What I want you to understand:

➡️ Your need for constant stimulation isn't our burden.
➡️ Your discomfort with silence isn't our crisis.
➡️ And your definition of success isn't our roadmap.

If we let you in, you've earned it.

Not through persistence or pressure,
but through respect.
Through substance.
Through recognizing that our boundaries aren't walls. They're filters.

➡️ We're not antisocial. We're selectively social.
➡️ We're not slow. We're thorough.
➡️ We're not cold. We're intentional.

In a world drowning in noise, that's not a limitation.

That's an edge.

Stop trying to fix us. We were never broken.

As you step into 2026: What boundary will you protect to honor your energy this year?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it if you're proudly wired differently

📩 Start the new year with one insight per week in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

Networking like an extrovert nearly cost me everything.

More events.
More coffee chats.
More small talk with people I'd never see again.

I thought more connections meant more opportunities.

I was wrong.

What I actually built was exhaustion.
And a contact list full of people I barely remembered.

When I finally dropped that belief, everything changed.

I stopped chasing quantity.
Started protecting my energy.
Invested in fewer people, went way deeper with each one.

The networking events I skipped?
Cost me nothing.

The shallow connections I let go?
Made room for the ones I actually need.

After 20 years as a CHRO, I've watched too many introverts burn out trying to play the extrovert game.

The ones who thrive?

They stop forcing what drains them.
They build their network around how they actually work best.

This weekend, try this:

→ Text one person who genuinely energises you. No agenda. Just checking in.
→ Say no to one thing you were going to push yourself through.
→ Spend 10 minutes in stillness. Introverts don't recharge in crowds. They recharge in quiet.

Letting go of the wrong approach is not giving up.
It's making space for the right one.

What's one thing you're letting go of this weekend?

💚 Happy Friday, friends.

♻️ Repost if you believe success should never require self-erasure.

💌 I write the A+ Introvert Newsletter. Weekly insights for introverts who lead quietly and build deeply. No fluff, ever.→https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

The fastest way to lose your best people?
Oversee every decision they make.

You didn't bring in talented minds to monitor them.
You brought them in to lead, solve, and deliver.

But the moment trust disappears:
→ Motivation drops
→ Creativity freezes
→ They quietly start exploring options

🚨 Micromanagement damages more than output.

It corrodes culture from the inside.

What it actually does to your team:

• Drives your strongest performers toward the exit
• Creates resentment simmering under the surface
• Shuts down creativity before it starts
• Produces stress, then exhaustion
• Delays every single decision
• Swaps clarity for anxiety
• Fractures trust
• Kills loyalty
• Breeds fear

Now flip the approach.

When you choose trust over control:

✅ Energy rises
✅ Ideas start flowing
✅ Teams gain momentum
✅ Ownership begins to multiply
✅ Your culture becomes a magnet for talent
✅ Collaboration happens naturally and consistently

Great leadership isn't about oversight.
It's about belief.

Hire well.
Point the direction.
Then get out of the way.

As we head into 2026, a reflection worth carrying into the new year.

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it with a leader who could use the reminder

📩 Weekly leadership insights in The A+Introvert Newsletter: see link in my profile

Stop trying to fix introverts.

In 20 years as an HR leader, I’ve seen companies burn millions trying to turn quiet leaders into loud ones.

It doesn’t work. It pushes your best people out the door.

What introverts need is not what most managers think.

⬇️ Swipe through to see the difference.

💾 Save/Share this before your next 1:1.

📩 Join the Free A+Introvert Newsletter for weekly bite-sized career tips → https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

What Workplaces Think Introverts Need (vs What We Need)

Kind leaders aren't weak.
They're strategic.

After 20+ years in HR, here's what the data actually shows about leading with kindness. And where most leaders miss the mark.

1. Balanced Care
✅ Caring for yourself to better care for others
❌ Self-sacrificing until you're drained
→ Well-rested leaders build teams with far less burnout.

2. Presence
✅ Creating safety through focused attention
❌ Avoiding hard conversations to stay "nice"
→ When people feel seen, oxytocin rises. Trust rewires.

3. Smart Support
✅ Challenging people to grow
❌ Solving their problems for them
→ Support without stretch weakens resilience on both sides.

4. Real Understanding
✅ Leading through shared experience
❌ Preaching from a pedestal
→ Empathy builds trust at a neurological level.

5. True Giving
✅ Acting from genuine generosity
❌ Helping out of guilt or pressure
→ Authentic kindness creates far deeper engagement than obligation.

6. Energy Boundaries
✅ Saying no to protect your yes
❌ Burning out through constant availability
→ Clear limits amplify leadership effectiveness.

7. Simple Truths
✅ Building trust through small, daily actions
❌ Relying on big gestures to fix gaps
→ Consistency compounds into culture.

8. Brain Chemistry
✅ Driving positive reactions through follow-through
❌ Using "kind" words without action
→ Kindness reshapes stress, performance, and trust.

The bottom line:
Kindness isn't softness.
It's a performance multiplier.

Which one made you rethink how you lead?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it with a leader who needs to see this

Introverts don't need fixing.
Your workplace culture does.

For 20 years, I watched companies try to "improve" their introverted employees.

They sent them to presentation skills workshops.
They placed them in open office layouts.
They nudged them toward noisy networking events.

But they missed what really needed changing.

Meeting norms that reward the loudest voice.
Brainstorms that drown out deep thinkers.
"Collaboration" that looks more like constant interruption.

When I was 32, a VP pulled me aside.
"You're too quiet. That'll hurt your career."

So I tried to become louder.
More visible.
More like everyone else.

Eventually I realized something important.

I wasn't the problem.
The environment was.

Today I'm a CHRO.
Still quiet.
Still thriving.

Not because I changed who I am,
but because I focused on changing the system.

If you're doing this:
❌ Telling introverts to speak up more
❌ Requiring constant collaboration
❌ Assuming quiet means disengaged
❌ Defining culture through happy hours
❌ Rewarding visibility over value

Try this instead:
✅ Send agendas in advance so they can prepare
✅ Start meetings with quiet time for written input
✅ Offer multiple ways to contribute, not just talking
✅ Create quiet zones for focused work
✅ Recognize the impact, not just who talks the most

The most innovative companies don't try to fix introverts.
They build environments where introverts can shine.

Quiet-friendly cultures boost productivity.
Written brainstorming surfaces better ideas.
And your next big idea might be sitting silently in the corner.

The companies losing top talent right now?
They're still trying to make introverts louder.

The ones winning?
They're creating spaces where every style can thrive.

If someone seems too quiet,
maybe the system is too noisy.

Stop trying to change them.
Start changing what's actually not working.

Because a culture that works for introverts
works better for everyone.

💬 What's one small change that could make your workplace more inclusive for quieter thinkers?

♻️ Share if you believe quiet leadership deserves more respect

📩 Join 100K+ ambitious introverts who get free weekly career tips: https://lnkd.in/e7xQPNtn

Introverts aren't broken.
They're built differently.

This isn't opinion.
It's neuroscience.

Swipe through the data:
10 slides. 1 perspective shift. 👇

What resonates most?

Mine is Slide 5.
(The leadership stat changed everything for me.)

What's yours?

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it with an introvert who needs to see the science

📩 Want more like this? Subscribe to The A+Introvert newsletter (link in profile)

Your Brain On Introvert Mode (the shocking truth)

Burnout isn't about working too hard.
It's about pretending too much.

For introverts, the real crisis is not the workload.
It's performing extroversion 40 hours a week.

7 signs you're burning out from the performance:

1️⃣ Hiding in your car between meetings. 
→ This is not odd. It's survival mode.

2️⃣ "I'm fine!" when you're clearly not. 
→ The mask stays on. Always.

3️⃣ Your best work happens after everyone leaves. 
→ Because finally, you can stop performing.

4️⃣ Sunday night dread about people, not tasks. 
→ Your nervous system already knows what Monday brings.

5️⃣ Social battery dies by Tuesday. 
→ You're not weak. You're drained from acting all day.

6️⃣ Calls drain you more than the actual work. 
→ It's not the content. It's the constant "on" that kills you.

7️⃣ Recovery takes the whole weekend. 
→ Two days to recover from five is not a sustainable equation.

After 20 years in HR, I've watched this pattern destroy talented people.
Not because they weren't strong.
Because they were never given permission to stop pretending.

What helps (for you):
→ Block 10 minutes between meetings. Non-negotiable.
→ Replace one call with async. Protect your voice.
→ Batch high-contact tasks on specific days. Guard one deep-work block.
→ Stop apologizing for needing quiet to think.

What workplaces need to change:
→ Create meeting-free blocks for real work.
→ Default one weekly update to async instead of live.
→ Train managers to lead introverts: advance agendas, written input options.
→ Design offices with actual quiet spaces, not just open-plan buzz.

Your energy is real.
Your limits are legitimate.
Your need for space is not weakness.
It's wiring.

Which sign hit closest to home?

♻️ Repost to help introverts burning out in silence.

💌 Want to thrive without burning out: https://lnkd.in/eSdKpkMs

Being "always available" destroyed my best work.

My sharpest thinking happened at 6am before anyone could reach me.
My worst decisions came from back-to-back calls with no space to process.

For years I wore it like a badge of honor.
Responding within minutes.
Never missing a meeting.
Always on.

As a CHRO, I thought that's what leadership looked like.

I was wrong.

7 truths about introvert productivity:

🔋 90 uninterrupted minutes beat all-day availability
Research shows it takes 23 minutes to regain focus after an interruption.
This is where real work happens.
Not in constant collaboration.

🔋 Transition time is not optional
15 minutes between meetings to reset is not luxury.
It's how your brain works.

🔋 Alone time is strategic
Your brain recharges in quiet, not chaos.
Biology, not antisocial behavior.

🔋 Saying no is a productivity strategy
Three meetings with real substance beat twelve status updates.

🔋 Email beats video calls for most things
Async communication protects time for work that actually matters.

🔋 Morning energy is sacred
Give your peak hours to hard thinking.
Not admin.

🔋 Your calendar should reflect your nervous system
Not everyone else's expectations.

Productivity is not about doing more.
It's about protecting your energy for what actually matters.

♻️ Repost for the introvert doing real work after everyone leaves
📩 Weekly introvert career insights → https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

Stop forcing yourself to be "on" all day.

Your boss sees quiet.
Your close team sees hilarious.

Your network sees reserved.
Your best friend? Sees you acting like an extrovert.

And here's the thing.
Everyone holds a different version of you.
That is not broken. That is strategic.

➡️ When you are around people who give you energy, you show up fully. 
➡️ When you are around strangers or high-stakes rooms, your battery drains faster than you'd like.

This is not two people.
This is one person with limited energy making intentional choices about where to spend it.

Most introverts sabotage themselves trying to be the same everywhere.

So they either:
➡️ Exhaust themselves performing for everyone
➡️ Hide completely and wonder why nobody knows what they can do

Here is the breakthrough:

➡️ Stop trying to be consistent.
➡️ Start being intentional.

You are not broken because you go quiet at a conference.
➠ You are smart because you know the return on your energy investment.

You are not unfriendly because you skip happy hour.
➠ You are protecting your ability to show up fully in the meetings that actually matter.

You do not need to be the same version in every room.
You need to decide which rooms deserve your full energy.

What is one event or meeting you are going to skip this week, guilt-free?

♻️ Repost this for the introvert who needs permission to stop performing

Quiet leaders rarely get the spotlight.
But research from Harvard shows they lift team performance by 28% when their people take initiative.

As an introverted CHRO, I've witnessed what calm, focused leadership can achieve.

🔴 When introverts feel forced to act loud:
❌ Chasing visibility over substance
❌ Rushing decisions to appear confident
❌ Talking more, absorbing less
❌ Building wide networks without real connection
❌ Reacting quickly and missing the deeper point
❌ Filling silence because it feels uncomfortable
❌ Offering fast answers to seem sharp
❌ Prioritizing attention over understanding
❌ Overlooking signals from the team
❌ Burning out from playing a character

The cost adds up.
Leaders lose their sharpness.
Innovation stalls.
Morale fades.

That's not leadership. That's performance.

🟢 When introverts lead on their own terms:
✅ Staying grounded and leading with presence
✅ Deciding with clarity, not speed
✅ Listening before responding
✅ Cultivating deep trust
✅ Thinking first, acting second
✅ Leveraging silence strategically
✅ Making room for others to contribute
✅ Catching what others miss
✅ Remaining steady when pressure rises

This approach works.
Teams flourish.
Voices emerge.
Outcomes improve.

Extroverts bring momentum.
Introverts bring depth.
Both are essential.
But quiet leadership still gets undervalued.

I've led this way for two decades.
It works because it's real.

💾 Save this & ♻️ share it to remind others that quiet leaders belong at the table

📩 One introvert career insight per week in The A+Introvert Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e2Yn259g

We promote the loudest voice.
Then wonder why teams burn out.

I've spent 20 years in leadership.
And I've watched brilliant introverts get overlooked again and again.

They didn't fall short.
They quietly pulled ahead.

Harvard and Wharton research tells us something most companies ignore. Introverted leaders drive:
➜ 28% higher productivity
➜ 84% more engagement
➜ 50% lower turnover

So why do we still mistake quiet for weak?

Because we've built systems that reward volume over value.
Visibility over results.
Performance over substance.

This carousel breaks down:
➜ What the data really says
➜ Why introverts make elite leaders
➜ How to lead with quiet confidence

The quiet ones in your meeting today?

They're not disengaged.
They're processing at a level most leaders never reach.

💾 Save this for your next leadership conversation.
♻️ Share if your culture still mistakes noise for leadership.

Your Team Thinks Quiet Means Weak (The Data Disagrees)

I stayed quiet in meetings for years.

Then one CEO told me:
"When you speak, I know it matters."

I'd spent years thinking my silence was a liability.
Turns out it was my edge.

Most communication advice for introverts?
"Just speak up more."

But more communication does not equal better communication.

⬇️ Swipe to learn how introverts turn quiet into influence.

💾 Save & repost this before your next meeting.
📩 Get my newsletter The A+ Introvert → link in carousel last page

Stop Apologizing For Not Speaking Up Immediately (Really)

Last year I collapsed on December 26th.
This year? I said no to three Christmas gatherings.

For years, I treated December like a survival marathon:
Every party. Every dinner. Every "quick drink" that drained three hours of energy.

I was everywhere. Present nowhere.

This year, I'm doing something radical for an introvert who spent 20 years performing "fine."

I'm protecting my energy like it actually matters.

—

What I'm DOUBLING DOWN on:

→ Strategic presence over constant visibility
2 gatherings. Inner circle only.
3-hour windows with recovery time. Not 6 events in 4 days.

→ Micro-recharge moments
Even during events, I step out.
10 minutes. Fresh air. Reset.

→ Saying no without guilt
"I'd love to, but I'm protecting my energy so I can show up fully where it matters."

—

What I'm STOPPING:

→ Showing up just to be seen
Exhaustion isn't a love language. Presence is.

→ Socializing out of obligation
If it's a "should," it's a no.

→ The myth of the holiday hero
They don't need me everywhere.
They need me present. Not performing.

—

Your energy isn't infinite.
Protecting it isn't selfish.
It's strategic.

What's one event you're skipping to protect your peace this season?

♻️ Share this with an introvert who needs this reminder.
🎄 Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating.

Happy New Year to the ones who did not make a highlight reel.

The ones who didn't launch the side hustle.
The ones who skipped the grind to protect their peace.
The ones who chose silence over sprints.

After 20 years in HR, I saw the same pattern every January 1.

Loud success gets rewarded.
Quiet progress gets overlooked.

If you didn't broadcast your wins, they didn't count.
If you took your time, you were "slow."

But here is what performance reviews still don't measure:

↳ The anxiety you carried into every meeting.
↳ The boundaries that protected your energy.
↳ The one hard conversation you finally had.
↳ The quiet leadership that changed someone's year.

If you ended 2025 exhausted instead of celebrated, this is for you.

You don't need a "New Year, New You."
You need more you.

↳ More aligned decisions.
↳ More intentional no's.
↳ More places that fit your nervous system.

In 2026, the goal is not to be louder.
It is to be truer.

You are not behind.
You are playing a game that was never built for you.

This year, build your own.

Happy New Year.

You as you are is enough to build on.

♻️ Know an introvert who needs this? Pass it on.

Work Life Intelligence Expert | Wellness Advocate | Mom of 4 l Evidence-based tools to excel at work and thrive in life 🌿

Struggling to find balance between life and work?  

Here's the secret👇🏼... 


There is no secret (sorry).

But there is a way forward. 

It starts by tuning in to what works for YOU. 

Only you can discover that balance, and I’m here to guide you along the way.

I help high achievers like you create a life where work, health, and personal success coexist through a real, practical blend of:

🌿 Intentional Living
🌿 Well-Being
🌿 Personal & Professional Development

As a founder, CEO, and mom of four, I’ve faced the same struggles. 

I know the pressure, the juggle, and how hard it can be to create space for yourself amidst it all.

But I’ve also found a way to make it work - and you can too.

🌿 Ways we can work together: https://www.healthymindsetliving.com/services

🌿 Join 13k+ subscribers and get my weekly newsletter, packed with tips and strategies to help you live a mindful, healthy, and fulfilled life. https://www.healthymindsetliving.com/join-us

Cheering for your success,
Carolyn

Dr. Carolyn Frost

You don’t need a perfect day.

You need three small wins.

Success isn’t built in big moments alone.

It’s built in the small, repeatable actions that quietly compound over time.

These 3 wins transform everything:

💪🏽 A Physical Win:
↳ Book walking meetings for 1:1 calls
↳ 60 seconds of jumping jacks before big meetings
↳ Match your coffee breaks with movement

🧠 An Intellectual Win:
↳ Delete one app that drains your attention
↳ Teach a friend or child something you just learned
↳ Create a "done list" instead of a to-do list

✨ A Spiritual Win:
↳ Send an unexpected voice note of appreciation
↳ Create space for 3 minutes of complete silence
↳ Leave an encouraging note on someone's desk

When you actively seek these wins, you'll spot them everywhere.

One win leads to another.
Success starts attracting success.

This is how progress becomes sustainable, and success stops feeling so heavy.

Which win will spark your positive spiral today?

--

♻️ Repost to help your network discover the power of intentional wins

✅ Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for more on thriving without burning out

Work-Life Intelligence Expert | Behavioral science + EQ to help you grow your career without losing yourself | Mom of 4 🌿

Your title doesn't make you a success. 

Being easy to work with does.

This isn't just a work skill. 
It's a life skill.

7 ways to be easy to work with (and live with) ✨

1) Listen before you speak 
↳ At work: "Help me understand your perspective" 
↳ At home: Put the phone down when someone's talking to you

2) Make others feel heard 
↳ At work: "So you're saying..." before responding 
↳ At home: "That sounds frustrating" before trying to fix

3) Share credit generously 
↳ At work: "Thanks to [name] for making this possible" 
↳ At home: "I couldn't do this without your support"

4) Stay calm when others can't 
↳ At work: Lower your voice when tensions rise 
↳ At home: Take a breath before reacting to difficult news

5) Admit when you don't know 
↳ At work: "I'll find out by end of day" 
↳ At home: "You know what? I was wrong about that"

6) Ask questions that help others think 
↳ At work: "What would success look like?" 
↳ At home: "What do you think would help?" instead of jumping to solutions

7) Remember what matters to them 
↳ At work: Ask about their weekend plans 
↳ At home: Remember the little things they mentioned

The most valuable skill isn't on your resume.
It's how people feel when they're with you ✨

Which habit changes everything for you today?

--

♻️ Repost to help your network master the skill that matters most

🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies that create success at work and peace at home

Stop letting work invade every corner of your life.

12 boundaries that put you back in control 👇🏼

Every notification. 
Every "quick question" at 8pm. 
Every weekend email marked "urgent."

They're not just interruptions. 
They're invasions.

It starts as dedication. 

But slowly transforms into a life where you are perpetually exhausted but never quite "done."

It ends now.

💥 12 Scripts That Command Respect:

1) "I'm offline after 6pm, but I'll get back to you at 9am" 
↳ Don't justify or apologize. Simple statement, clear expectations.

2) "I've blocked focus time until 2pm, happy to connect right after" 
↳ Assume agreement rather than asking permission.

3) "This needs my full attention, let's set 30 min tomorrow" 
↳ Position boundaries as beneficial to work quality.

4) "I don't check email on weekends - text me only if it's urgent" 
↳ Create a specific emergency channel, keep it sacred.

5) "I have a hard stop at [time], what should we prioritize now?" 
↳ Frame it as prioritization, not avoidance.

6) "I'm stepping away for an hour and will check messages once I'm back" 
↳ Normalize breaks as part of professional behavior.

7) "That time's set aside for deep work, can we meet [day] instead?" 
↳ Empty calendar time isn't available time. Protect it.

8) "This might be better over email - happy to reply thoughtfully" 
↳ Reframe efficiency as a professional value.

9) "I'm at capacity through [day], which task should I pause to fit this in?" 
↳ Make trade-offs visible rather than absorbing more work.

10) "I don't take calls during my commute - it's reset time" 
↳ Position boundaries as performance enhancement, not selfishness.

11) "Tonight is family time - I can jump in tomorrow" 
↳ Name what you're protecting instead of apologizing.

12) "That's outside my bandwidth - [Name] might be able to help"  
↳ Redirect without guilt or over-explanation.

Your boundaries protect what matters most. 
Make them non-negotiable ✨

Which script will help you reclaim your peace today?

--

♻️ Repost to help your network protect their time and energy

🔔 Follow Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies to succeed without sacrificing what matters most

12 Boundaries That Protect Your Time

“I’ll be happy when…”

is the most expensive sentence you repeat.

It costs time
It costs attention
It costs peace

Happiness isn’t something you reach.
It’s something you practice with the life you have ✨

Here are 21 simple things genuinely happy people do differently:

🏠 They set a go-home time, and honor it
🤍 They invest deeply in a few real relationships
✨ They look for small ways to brighten someone’s day
🧠 They check in with themselves daily
🚧 They set boundaries without apologizing
🌱 They focus on growth, not just achievement
🗣️ They speak to themselves with kindness
📈 They choose progress over perfection
🔭 They zoom out when life feels heavy
⏸️ They pause before reacting
🏡 They treat their body like home
📵 They create their own life 
🎒 They collect experiences, not things
🌊 They adapt instead of resisting change
🌤️ They step outside every day
🤫 They make space for quiet
🧭 They let values guide their work
🚶‍♀️ They move their body because they can
🕊️ They work toward accepting what is
🍃 They notice ordinary moments
🎉 They celebrate other people’s wins

Happiness isn’t a destination you arrive at.
It's something you get to live every day. 

Wishing you all a beautiful, joyous and successful 2026 ✨

--

♻️ Repost to help someone start the year lighter 

🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for simple ways to create a happy and successful life

21 Things Genuinely Happy People Do Differently

Your stress response is killing your potential. 

12 signals you're sending without realizing:

Slow down enough to notice how these patterns show up in your day:

The nervous pen tapping in meetings
The late night email checks
The 'let me do this one more thing' (a personal fav 🙄)

We've normalized these stress responses, but they're quietly limiting your success.

12 Patterns to Break Now:

1. Overthinking Decisions
↳ You're seen as indecisive and miss key opportunities 
↳ Take a 15-minute walk outside, decide when you return

2. Physical Tension
↳ Your body language is contagious - be mindful of it
↳ Take movement breaks between calls

3. Busy Without Results
↳ You're burning energy on low-impact work 
↳ Done by one - daily priorities done by 1 pm 

4. Over-Explaining
↳ You're diluting your message and losing influence 
↳ Lead with your conclusion, stop after three key points

5. Defensive Responses
↳ You're blocking valuable feedback and growth 
↳ Ask one question before defending your position

6. Constant Task-Switching
↳ You're killing your focus and credibility 
↳ Close all tabs except one, batch small tasks after 3pm

7. Fear of Imperfection
↳ You're missing deadlines waiting for "perfect" 
↳ Share after second draft, move on after three rounds

8. Creating False Urgency
↳ You're training people to ignore real priorities 
↳ Question any deadline under 24 hours

9. Avoiding Hard Conversations
↳ Problems grow while your influence shrinks 
↳ Schedule while confident, lead with data not drama

10. Skipping Recovery Time
↳ Your decisions get worse as the day goes on 
↳ Take real breaks after intense meetings

11. Seeking Constant Validation
↳ You're undermining your authority and expertise 
↳ Wait one hour before seeking feedback

12. Ignoring Energy Limits
↳ Your peak hours are wasted on low-value work 
↳ Book tough meetings when you're energy is strongest

The patterns you notice are the patterns you can change ✨

What's one you're ready to shift?

--

♻️ Repost to help your network recognize patterns holding them back 

🔔 Follow Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies to succeed without burning out

12 Stress Responses Sabotaging Your Career

You’re not behind in life.

You’re right on time.

It may not feel that way.

Especially when it seems like everyone else has it “figured out.”

But here’s what’s usually true:

1: You’re more selective
↳ You don’t chase everything anymore.

2: You know what doesn’t work
↳ That clarity only comes from experience.

3: You move with more intention
↳ Fewer decisions. Better ones.

4: You value peace more than speed
↳ And that’s growth, not laziness.

5: You trust yourself more
↳ Even when things are still unfolding.

Try this today:

Instead of asking, “Why am I not there yet?”
Ask, “What do I know now that I didn’t before?”

You’re not late.
You’re becoming ✨

What’s one thing you’re clearer about now than a few years ago? Share below 👇🏼

--

♻️ Repost to remind your network they are right on time 

🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for more like this in 2026

10 visuals to sharpen how you think 

(and improve how you work under pressure)

Not motivation.
Not hustle.

Clear thinking changes how you decide, communicate, and follow through - especially on busy days.

(All visuals by @joazolins on Instagram)

1️⃣ Your potential is bigger than you think
↳ Most people underestimate what consistency actually unlocks

2️⃣ People are influenced more by what you do than what you say
↳ Behavior builds trust faster than explanations

3️⃣ You’re trying to fit too much into limited space
↳ Overwhelm is often a signal to subtract, not push harder

4️⃣ Small kindness has outsized impact
↳ What feels minor to you can mean a lot to someone else

5️⃣ Working tired isn’t productive
↳ True rest first leads to better work after

6️⃣ Short-term action beats long-term waiting
↳ Progress comes from doing, not planning longer

7️⃣ Trying and failing is how progress actually works
↳ Avoiding failure keeps things exactly the same

8️⃣ If you can’t do big things, do small things well
↳ Care and attention compound over time

9️⃣ Perfection often hides procrastination
↳ Refining the trivial stuff delays what actually matters

🔟 Starting is the hardest part
↳ Overwhelm peaks early, then eases once you move

Clear thinking isn’t abstract.
It shows up in better choices, better work, and less friction.

Which visual stood out to you today?

--

♻️ Repost to help someone in your network advance in their career

🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for practical tools that improve how you work

10 Visuals to Sharpen How You Think

10 phrases to turn small talk into something real.

Here's how to connect deeper & build trust: 

Creating psychologically safety at work starts with everyday conversations. 

These sentences build the foundation for deep trust and personal connection. 

Here's how to transform surface talk into meaningful connection 👇🏼

1. "I'd love to hear your perspective on this." 
↳ Perfect during tough decisions when every voice matters 
↳ Take notes in real time, send a recap with next steps

2. "Thank you for teaching me something new today." 
↳ When someone shares something valuable 
↳ Try their method in your next task, share results back

3. "What support do you need from me right now?" 
↳ When you see someone drowning but aren't sure how to help 
↳ Clear your next hour, solve one thing immediately

4. "I respect your expertise on this matter"
↳ During heated moments - acknowledge their experience 
↳ Grab your notebook, write down their key points

5. "I made a mistake, and I want to make it right." 
↳ The moment you mess up - own it fast, build trust 
↳ Name the fix, set a deadline, do it now

6. "I noticed your great work on that project." 
↳ Catch them doing something brilliant, say it immediately 
↳ Send a quick email to their manager with a specific example

7. "How can I help you succeed?" 
↳ In quiet moments when you want to show real care 
↳ Set 3 specific support actions, schedule them today

8. "Your contribution made a real difference." 
↳ When someone goes above - be specific about why 
↳ Share one concrete metric or result right now

9. "I trust your judgment on this." 
↳ Empower them, then actually let them run with it 
↳ Delete that micromanaging email you drafted

10. "Let's find a solution together." 
↳ When problems feel huge - create partnership 
↳ Book a room, set a clear agenda, solve one piece

Anyone can do small talk. 
Few can create real trust. 
You get to choose which you build ✨

Which phrase would you most like to hear from someone?

--

♻️ Repost to help your network build trust and meaningful connections

🔔 Follow Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies that build real success - at work and at home

 10 Sentences for Meaningful Work Relationships

You don’t need more time.

You need better resets.

Most people try to push through distraction.
That’s why focus keeps slipping.

Resets restore what effort can’t.

Here are 21 micro-resets that actually bring focus back.
(All take under 2 minutes)

🔕 Stop all input
👀 Look far away
😮‍💨 Release your jaw
🌬️ Physiological sigh
🦵 Stretch your calves
✅ Close one loop
❄️ Temperature contrast
🧍 Reset your posture
👁️ Blink fast
✍️ Name what’s next
🚪 Change rooms
⏳ Slow your exhale
✋ Unclench your hands
🚶 One-minute walk
🧹 Reduce visual noise
🗣️ Say one sentence out loud
🌿 Look at something green
🔢 Count backward by sevens
🧘 Drop your shoulders
🎧 Change sensory input
⏸️ Do nothing on purpose

Focus doesn’t disappear.
It gets overloaded.

The people who stay sharp reset early and often.

Which one will you try today?

--

🔁 Repost to help someone reclaim their focus

🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for practical tools that protect time and mental clarity

taplio

The Battle

Steven Claes

Dr. Carolyn Frost

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Performance ScoreSteven Claes's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Steven Claes

Dr. Carolyn Frost

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Steven Claes's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreSteven Claes's LinkedIn Performance