Being Introverted

The view out my living room window.

Being introverted in a predominantly extraverted world can be a challenge for someone like me...not only do I become easily overwhelmed and over-stimulated, but because I am never bored alone, others can feel neglected by me.  So, in that vein I wanted to share a few things about myself, and this doesn't mean I don't love people, because I really do, but I need a lot of time and space.

1.  I really don't enjoy public events...I wish I did because there are so many opportunities that sound fun but whenever I take part, I am absolutely exhausted and anxious afterwards.

2.  I like to be home...driving tends to cause stress (even just to the city) and I don't care to go on vacations, unless I'm heading to the mountains with my family (refreshes my soul).  I would like to see more of Canada and even just to get out and visit others but I really, really like being home, in my house or walking around my town.

3.  I don't care for large groups...I enjoy a visit with a friend or two but more than that is overwhelming.  Even gallery openings, which are lovely, leave me depleted for a week or two.  Meetings can be very difficult for me...and oddly enough, I attend many.

4.  I crave silence...which seems odd since I live near one of the busiest highways and airports in the country.  It took me several years to get used to the sound.  At least our home is surrounded by trees which means many, many birds, and I do love the sounds of nature.  I don't even care for the phone to ring...unless it's my husband or our daughters.

5.  I like to work independently...I don't need to be in a work environment to get things done.  If I say I'll do it, I will.  It's easy for me to keep busy and focused, in fact, sometimes I can be too focused and let everything else slide.  But I try to see that as a strength.

So please, please don't take it as an insult if I don't call or make plans with you...it's not personal.  I just know what I need and, thankfully, my family understands that, too.  Spending several hours alone in a room or in nature means I'm energizing my soul.  At least I'm better than I was as a girl - then I couldn't barely speak with people I didn't know as I was painfully shy.  I used to feel badly about these things and tried very hard to change but I wasn't happy.  And now, I tend to believe that it is exactly these things about me that feeds my creativity and which makes it easy for me to complete a body of work.  And it doesn't feel like work at all...just fun, uplifting and enriching for me.