You’re Invited…
During the holiday season, your social calendar fills up quickly and life gets even more hectic than usual. Protect your time and practice self-care by eliminating one or two social activities you’d rather not attend. Don’t accept invitations out of guilt, obligation or habit; saying ‘no’ to those invitations will leave you with the energy and good spirits to enjoy the events you truly want to attend. This is especially important if you are not extroverted.
Extroverts feel energized when they attend parties and socialize with lots of people and are often bored by themselves. Introverts, on the other hand, can feel energetically drained in that type of situation, preferring to go to an intimate dinner party instead. Honor your natural preference whenever possible, especially during stressful periods. If you are an introvert and choose to attend a party, be sure to schedule some quiet ‘alone time’ before and after the event to recuperate and recharge. If you are an extrovert whose ‘significant other’ is an introvert, show your partner you understand and support his/her ‘orientation’ by not taking it personally if they pass on invitations or want to leave the party early.
I’m hosting a family event this Saturday night; as an introvert, I know that Sunday needs to be a quiet day for me, to rest and recharge. How about you? Are you introverted or extroverted and how does that affect your decisions and relationships?
As an introvert, I avoid demanding social situations whenever possible. I am moderately stressed and uncomfortable during them and so emotionally drained and grumpy afterwards! I have just begun trying to consciously acknowledge that I need some quiet time or “me” time afterwards.
My husband is also an introvert, and he’s the only person I’ve ever met that I never get tired of…we honor the fact that each of us needs time and space. I definitely made the right decision with him…we’ve been married 16 years!
I’m definately an Introvert; however, being raised by a family of Extroverts, I didn’t realize my needs were different than theirs until I became middle-aged (I spent a very exhausted youth, trying to ‘fit in’!). I’m now a very happy, ‘older’ Introvert, and proud of it! I avoid all large social gatherings,or any situation where there’s more than a few people gathered in one room.