Tell me a little about yourself...

Ever been asked the interview question, "Tell me a little about yourself.." and you would hesitate because you wondered if the interviewer would see through this "make believe" persona you want to protray. So instead you construct an ideal concuction of a person who you want to be more alike instead of exposing the real you. Are we all just actors in a big theatrical concussion or are we just cruising along hoping no one would ever see our inner self?

It took a real life changing moment for me to reevaluate my true self. I mean a rock bottom, heart wrenching, catastrophic moment to get to grips with who I really was. It's in those darkest moments I spent time really getting to know who these interviewers really wanted to know. In my younger years, I was extremely introverted and was often criticised by my teachers for not taking part in class discussions and for being extremely quiet. During those years I would solemnly be found interacting with peers because I found safety in my solitude. Eventually during my teenage years, I broke out of this introverted shell of silence and became a social butterfly ( but who was I becoming?). Years passed by and I started to find my voice and craved the presence of my peers, but didn't realise I was losing apart of me during this process. Years later my mum made a statement which really resonated with me, she stated that in being an introvert, ever so often after being around large groups of people, she would need to regroup. Immediately, I realised that this was what was missing from my life, I never really took time to regroup.  I was constantly going out with friends and took no time to reflect, revolve and rejuvenate. Eventually I started learning to enjoy spending time alone, understanding what made me 'tick' or what things I was really passionate about. I believe now was when I would thrive in an interview should they ask me to tell them about myself because I took the  time to know who I was and could now confidently express this side of me.

I believe we cannot successfully build relationships with others if we don't overcome the fear of being alone and begin to spend time to know ourselves. I encourage you to take yourself on a date, go to the movies on your own, go for regular walks and before you know it you will begin to understand why the people around you love and appreciate you they way they do.