The Gift of Introversion

“come out of your shell,” you may have developed social anxiety or felt like you had to
pretend to be someone you’re not.
The good news is it’s not too late to work on the things that hold you back.
Of course, not all introverts are the same. Some introverts will need only a little bit of
alone time to recharge and can handle a fair amount of social time before feeling
drained. Others drain quickly and prefer to spend very long periods alone. It’s different
for each person, and many introverts are somewhere in the middle.
Sooner or later, however, all introverts will
experience the dreaded “introvert
hangover,” which is the feeling of being
completely wiped out from too much
“people time” or stimulation. This can mean
feeling fatigued, unable to concentrate, or
even grouchy. It’s as if your brain has used
up all its mental energy and just doesn’t
haven’t any left. (And, in fact, that’s exactly
what has happened.)
The result is that most introverts share
certain characteristics:
We’d rather stay home most nights
than go out to one social event after
another.
We enjoy quiet, solitary activities like
reading, writing, gaming, gardening,
or drawing.
We’ll usually choose the company of a few close friends over a wild party.
We do our best work alone.
Many of us will avoid small talk or other unnecessary social interactions.
Are Introverts Shy?
Some introverts are and some aren’t. This is probably the single most misunderstood
thing about being an introvert.
The truth is that being shy and being an introvert are two totally different traits:
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