Confessions of an Introvert
I found a link to fabulous article, "caring for your introvert", on Brad Feld’s blog post entitled how to take care of your introvert. This article really hit home. I cannot express how exhausted I was when I first became the acting director of my research institute back in the fall of 2005. I could not have predicted how physically and mentally exhausting it was for me to spend full days simply talking to people. Hi. My name is Cathy, I am an introvert. I can spend hours or days alone and not feel lonely or bored. I need this down time to recharge and recover enough to simply spend a day or three interacting with other people. Now, a more than year in this position, like training for a marathon, I have built up my stamina for interacting with people. I can interact with more people for longer periods of time without having the urgent need to sit quietly alone. It is still a workout. Unlike natural extroverts, this does not energize or inspire me. But now, at least, I can do it. However, I still treat it like a game, much like putting on make-up for an evening out. It doesn’t seem quite real and is hard work. I cherish my weekends more than ever so that I can simply be quiet. To not talk. To not interact. Ahhh.
If you have in introvert in your life, please, go read this article; print it; read it again. Your introvert will thank you.
I am an introvert, and my wife is an extravert. My first 10 or 20 years of life is as the article mentioned — a bit depressed. Mostly due to the habit of looking for someone else to “take care” or to “understand” my introvertality. Then at some point of my life, I suddenly become the least type of person to get depressed. Rather, I constantly finding myself listening to my wife’s depressed expressions and feeling amused.
Everyone has to balance him/herself. An introvert, once understands this art of life, is much easier in mastering it, as he/she naturally deals with less outside factors in his/her equations.
Thanks for posting the article link!
I am now and have always been an introvert (INTJ, whee!), but like Rauch mentions in his article, I am socially functional and don’t mind speaking about topics that interest me or hanging out with close friends and small groups.
I hate making small talk with random strangers or slight acquaintances who have nothing useful to contribute to the conversation, though–UGH. I’d rather be home alone working on a project or reading a book in most cases.
Best line: “…introverts are people who find other people tiring.”
100% true!
Great article Cathy cause I did recogninzed my self big times into this article for beeing an Introvert character which can have a blowing extraverty personalities when times is request to have an extraverty personality for some short period oftimes. But I am truely an introverty one who likes silence, small talk, beeing alone with my self from where I am finally able to recharge my own me, all alone. No big talking with people that wouldn’t be able to bring me some deep conversation to help me growing.
Loved this article! I live with introverts. My whole family, myself included, are relatively introverted, which seems to go hand-in-hand with creativity. I’ve learned to step out of my comfort zone and “mingle” but it’s not what I prefer to do. I’d much rather be with a warm and small group of friends than attend a fund raiser, social event with my hubbie and make small talk to people who are just out to be seen…. It’s great for him and networking, though. I’ll have to forward the article to a few people I know… Thanks for sharing this. 🙂
Wow! Thank you all for the comments. I haven’t checked in a few days and what a nice surprise.
Maggie, I am also an INTJ but am working hard to become socially functional. It’s a work in progress!
Nico, I’m so happy that I found your blog again! I lost you for a few months.
Irene, I can totally relate to those fund raising events…I host them actually for my work at times and I must say I feel like I’m acting at those events. Wears me out. I do better once I run into the same people again. Had a black tie event a few weeks ago where I ran into a woman and her husband that I remembered because she had amazing biceps and shoulders. Because I had a glass of wine in me, I said this out loud to her. She was thrilled actually.