Sorry, but I am ending this blog....

This is a re-post from September 4, 2008...

How my introvert energy level gets depleted... I will write separate posts elaborating on each of these: 1. being in large groups of people 2. having to talk within a group who are all listening to me 3. being around people who talk loudly and excessively 4. being put on the spot 5. doing or going somewhere I really don’t want to 6. having to “socialize” 7. when I have to do a lot of heavy thinking 8. having a deadline or feeling pressure to finish a project 9. sorting out lots of details within information 10. not getting enough breaks in my schedule (this list will do for now)

Comforting....

It is always fun, and comforting to discover that one of your friends admits that they don't like crowds and lots of people. I say to them..."Oh, you're an introvert, like me" !!

I am still here...

I have been doing a lot of genealogy lately. It has been my first priority for awhile. But I hope to do better with this blog.

Returning

I have been ill for many months but I am back and hoping to post on my blogs again.

A very good book

It's wonderful to know that you are not alone

On the introvert forum that I gave you a link to on my last post, it is such a relief to find lots of other introverts that you can “talk” to. I have found comfort, strength, and lots in common with the other wonderful people on the forum. You can post questions and receive answers and explanations to anything you have a concern about…we do lots of sharing of feelings and ideas on the forum.

So….check out the site:
http://hiddengiftsoftheintrovertedchild.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=f00fb687c013c1809f9ce5fcb5193b0a&board=5.0

Like a lighthouse in the storm of life

If you are an introvert, here is an introvert forum that will help you so greatly to feel and know that you are normal.

http://hiddengiftsoftheintrovertedchild.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=33b1e07bd5d41677b135ac7657e6dd5d&board=5.0

Creativity

Being an introvert and loving and needing my alone time, I find that my creativity levels increase because I am alone and in a quiet place. This is ideal for me and I am always fascinated at the types of things I can do and accomplish.

Does life have to be one big continuous social party?

Introverts do not like large groups of noisy people. Some people get recharged by a continual social life of lots of people and activities, but I do not. I am perfectly content to visit one on one with a friend or two for a very short while....then I am off to do something by myself. I love my own company, generally preferring that.

Noisy versus Quiet

Introverts tend to get wore out and start looking for the door in social settings, when they have enough of the noise and confusion of so much talking around them. For me, if I am visiting one-on-one with a person who is non-stop in their talking, I don’t last long before I want to end the conversation and go away to someplace where I can be all alone for awhile. I love my quiet alone time where I can rest my nerves and mind.

Accept and love ourselves

We are all made differently. We are happiest when we learn to accept and love ourselves for who and what we are. And…..if you are not happy with yourself….then change.

But some things within an introvert are hard to change, even if we would like to. Accept it, and go forward and be the best person you know how to be.

It is not good to get overwhelmed

As an introvert, when I feel overwhelmed with much to do, my mind and body wants to shut down. That is when I need to find a nice quiet alone place to rest and revamp. I generally watch a movie or read a book. It is a place that I don’t have to feel guilty about wanting to vegetate for awhile. Then I get up and I am good to go again. I try not to get to the point that I am that overwhelmed with things….but at least I know how to handle it, if I do.

Introverts self-edit

When comparing notes with other introverts, I find that I am not alone with the self-edit thing. In conversations, rather than just blurting out what is on my mind, I tend to edit the words that I want to speak. Many times I have found that when I just blurt things out, it does not come out the way I intend.

It's rather nice, really.....

....to need and crave quiet alone time, once in awhile. I am sure that EVERYONE must get tired of lots of people around them all the time, and always involved in some type of busy activity.

As an introvert, my alone time is like an oasis in the desert; my chance at regrouping my thoughts and energy; my ray of sunshine on a bitter cold stormy day; and my sip of water after not drinking for a long time. Yes....it’s that important to me!

Not getting enough breaks in my daily schedule

Since introverts need to recharge their energy batteries often, by quiet alone time, it helps a great deal if there are enough breaks in their daily schedule so that they can go off somewhere and do this.

Sorting out lots of details within information

It is very tiring and draining when I have to sift and sort out lots of detail in an article or any information of some sort. I can do it….but it wears on me.

Having a deadline or feeling pressure to finish a project

I do not work well under pressure. It causes unwanted stress and drains me. I do better when there is a loose deadline...and when I have plenty of time to work on a project. Then I am a happy camper!

When I have to do a lot of heavy thinking

Heavy, intense thinking wears me out and drains my energy levels. I do better with small chunks of thinking at a time.

Having to socialize

I am not a social bug…..far from it…and that is generally the case, with introverts ! Most introverts do not like crowds, even small groups where they have to mingle with others. We are more comfortable with one on one socializing, and we dearly love, covet and protect our alone time.

Doing or going somewhere I really don't want to

It stresses and tires me out when I know or dread doing, or going somewhere that I really, really don’t want to. Yes, a lot of times I balk at coming out of my comfort zone, but other times I know that the activity will either be uncomfortable or not to my liking. If it involves a lot of people, I will feel uncomfortable. If it is about something that I truly am not interested in, I will not like it.

Being put on the spot

My brain processes things slower than some people’s. This is an introvert trait. When I am suddenly put on the spot...out of the blue to have to answer a particular question right away...then it takes me awhile for my brain to kick in to be able to answer the question and then it appears that I don’t know anything about the subject, when in fact that I do, given the time to think and process. I hate that I am put on the spot like that...it really drains me.

Being around people who talk loudly and excessively

Nothing wears me down more and makes me want to escape than being around someone who is talking and talking and talking. Generally they are talking about things that I don’t even care about, nor have an interest in. Many of those things are in the area of someone they know (who I don’t) whose brother’s friend’s sister’s grandmother is doing such and such...you get the picture. I do not like long drawn out senseless conversation.

Also, if I am around someone who has a very loud speaking voice, it makes me cringe and want to poke my fingers in my ear. Then I start getting all nervous and look for the nearest exit.

Introverts love the quiet, peaceful, short conversations that don’t wear them out.

Having to talk within a group who are all listening to me

I am self conscious and on the shy side so having to do ANY talking within a group makes me tense and drains my energy very quickly. If only a couple of people by me are listening, I am ok with that...but to have everyone’s eyes and ears turned my way...oh my gosh.

I try to avoid situations like this as much as I can. I do not like attention drawn to me and I sort of feel like crawling into a hole.

Being in large groups of people

I am more comfortable and feel more in control of myself when I am in much smaller groups of people and I also feel that I am not overwhelmed by the great diversity of personalities such as in a large crowd.

Whether it is shyness or something else, I do not like the feeling that I might be “people watched”. So, the smaller the group...the less intimidated and uncomfortable I feel, otherwise I begin to wish very much that I was not there. Some people might tend to be critical and unkind in their thinking, so I try to avoid that.

Large groups of people can be very loud and boisterous, which makes me nervous and tires me out just having to listen to all of the noise. So...I do much better, productively, in smaller groups of people.