The Gift of Introversion

4. Space To Dive Deep Into Their Hobbies and Interests
17th century horror novels. Celtic mythology. Restoring old cars. Gardening,
painting, cooking, or writing. If it’s out there, introverts are doing it. Having the
time and space to dive deep into their interests is recharging. But it’s about more
than just doing the thing. It’s about slowing down and entering a state of flow —
which may come naturally for introverts. Bonus: They end up becoming experts
in their areas of interest.
5. A Quiet, Calm Space That’s All Theirs
Admittedly, this is something I don’t have right now. But the dream is real: A
room to be alone in. A room to arrange however I’d like. A room with a door that
closes out the world, even just for a little while. For introverts, having a space
that’s all theirs makes an incredible difference in terms of their energy levels.
Being alone — truly alone, without fear of intrusion or interruption — is freeing
and invigorating on a nearly spiritual level.
6. Time To Think Before Responding
There’s hardly anything more stressful than an impatient boss or spouse
standing before you demanding an answer right now. For extroverts, it’s usually
easy to spout something off. But not so for introverts, who may rely more on
long-term memory than working memory (for extroverts, it’s the opposite).
Usually, a few (pressure-free) beats is all an introvert needs to reach into their
memory and pull out just the right words they want. Give them that time. It will be
worth it, I promise.
7. Friends Who Understand That Sometimes They Will Stay Home.
Introverts won’t attend every party or get-together. They do enjoy some
socializing, but it’s all about dosage. Too much, and their sensitive systems will
have them begging for their beds. They need friends who understand that
sometimes they just can’t “people” anymore today. These friends know that once
introverts have had downtime, they’ll be up for another (laid-back) adventure.
8. A Deeper Purpose To Their Work
Many introverts want a job that is more than just a paycheck. Sure, they need to
pay their bills, but they want their 9-to-5 efforts to feel worthwhile, too. They want
to know that they’re helping others. That they’re making at least some small
difference in the grand scheme of things. If introverts are just punching in and
punching out, doing routine work that doesn’t seem to fit a wider goal, life will feel
hollow.
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