Welcome to my blog! Here’s the scoop on me:
- My name is Laurie Helgoe.
- My website is www.wakingdesire.com.
- I am an author. Oh yeah, and a psychologist.
- My fifth and latest book is INTROVERT POWER.
- I collect flamingos and Cows on Parade.
- I have made my office walls into a continuous collage.
- Movies are my favorite form of therapy.
- I’ve been married 25 years to the right man.
- I have two boys who have surpassed me in height — and in so many other ways.
- The Village Writers, aka the Fab Six, are my peeps, my best friends, and my willing groupies at book signings.
- I am so glad to have you as a guest!
Laurie's (new) Loft 
Dr Helgoe,
I wanted to thank you for writing Introvert Power. Without going into a lot of detail, my wife and I had to move back to our house (which wasn’t selling) and with mounting debt, I had to take the first available job, which was answering phones in a call center for a cable company.
I’m definitely an introvert who feels imprisoned in the worst possible experience of my life. Everyday is torture. I have found myself more than once laying in the fetal position before work, once crying like an infant. (And I’m a grown man). My strong desire to use my photography and my penchant for writing have been the only things that get me through my day.
But my wife happened to pick up your book and I’ve been reading it and I want to say it’s like a balm. I’ve always known I’m not alone but you put words to how I feel and react. Never before have I read a book that so perfectly described me. Your book actually gives me hope and makes me feel like I’m not crazy for wanting to be doing something else.
I would love to know how someone who is internally focused can stay sane at a call center job, facing the demands of customers, many of whom are boorish and difficult.
Hi Jim — Wow! I’m getting such a great response to the Introvert Q&A — such an affirmation of our numbers.
A call center? Jim, I feel your pain. I also applaud you for feeding your inner, creative life — your photography and writing — even as you are drained by your day job. I’m so glad Introvert Power has made a difference for you. A few quick suggestions:
(1) Write about your job! Since you are on the phone, you can jot down comments by some of the more “boorish and difficult” customers (separately from whatever log you may be keeping). Of course, you’ll need to protect the identity of your customers, but writing is a great way to step back and see the drama and comedy in the situation. You may even want to dramatize the situations further for effect.
(2) Another idea is to “act” your role, to literally see yourself as an actor playing a call center rep.
(3) Sometimes I find it helpful to complain on paper, to assert how much I hate the situation, and to be fair, to express your love of people who are nice and appreciative. A “like/dislike” list can be very empowering, because even though you are stuck physically, you get to decide how you feel about it.
(4) Finally, be looking for another job. This is tough when you are working full-time, but you might try getting up a little earlier, putting your “first fruits” into pursuing a job that doesn’t put you into a fetal position. Remember, envisioning what you want to do — getting real clear about that — will move you toward your desire.
Best of luck!
Laurie