What it's like being an introvert :-)

Hello my dears, hope you're keeping well :-)

Today's post is a little bit different but still in line with the general "feel" of the blog, which is basically about the things that make me happy. One such thing is discovering a bit more about myself and embracing the whole "package" - all the good and all the crazy :-) Some things I can work on, other I just accept and learn to love, for example how to "survive" as a rather extreme introvert in an extrovert world.

So what does it mean to be an introvert? Well, it's all those situations...
... when a friend calls you to go out but you just want to stay home with a book (again) cause going out requires some mental preparation and this was too "spur-of-the-moment"
... when you're invited to a party, feel excited about it but when you get there realize you'd rather spend time on your own
... when you need time (like a few days) to recharge and recover after a party and not because of a hangover (let's face it, you probably left early enough not to get completely hammered) but because too much human contact is simply exhausting
... when you get asked on a regular basis "why so sad?" even though you're not, that's just your "normal" face
... when having to go through the daily ritual of small talk is simply unbearable.

A sofa, Kindle and my favorite cow slippers - #perfectday :-)

Those are just a few examples, all from personal experience :-) Someone might say to that "stop crying, get over yourself and get on with your life" but that's not very helpful. And trust me, having to spend time with people can be exhausting. The best, and unfortunately the hardest, thing to do is to accept and most of all embrace who you are. Just because you're not constantly smiling or aren't the life and soul of the party, doesn't mean you're somehow worse. What more, as an introvert, 
- you're usually more focused and organized than most people
- you're a better listener
- you're completely happy on your own and don't feel the need to desperately seek some company; being alone doesn't scare you, it's your comfort zone
- you don't need to talk to everybody or be everywhere in case you "miss out" - having deeper conversations with less people is what you're after; you know that superficial contacts with others is the real "missing out"
- in numerous situations, talking less but with more substance and meaning, has a much better and stronger impact on others (e.g. your boss, your business partners or your opponents), rather than delivering a flood of empty, easily forgotten words.

There are more examples of why being an introvert can be a good thing. I highly recommend reading a book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain, which I already mentioned in this post.

So find your strengths as an introvert and use them to your advantage. Equally important, find a way to recharge from the unavoidable superficial daily contacts, conversations, obligations... Also, try to find a nice balance in your life - it may be simply admitting to yourself that going out so much isn't making you happy, or it may be as serious as realizing that you need to change your job (I know, not an easy thing nowadays...) Whatever it is though, don't sacrifice your happiness :-)

All the best,

Domo.