Comments on: Introversion in action http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/ writing, mothering, writing about mothering Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:00:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: august http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-7055 august Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:03:13 +0000 http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-7055 I read a book entitled the "Introvert Advantage" and I felt accepted and embraced in my uniqueness as an introvert. (Atleast I felt accepted for the hour and half it took me to read the book.) I've been passionate about writing poetry since 12 and re-read Emersons essays - because they are so reflective and I love to ponder things in a way that is considered foreign to extroverts. ( If only I could meet people like that.)I attended a church where everyone would stay after service for fellowship (very chatty/almost gossipy) and I couldn't wait to get out of there even though I like the idea of friendships. I like the idea of hugs and praying for each other but it absolutely has to feel genuine for me to open up. The more poeple would try to chat me up - the more I wanted to run. The prayer groups felt more like prayer cliques to me. I do best in social situations that are sports minded. Tennis is how I met my first husband. I ride a tandem bicycle with my current fiance. I worry about being able to marry a man who is an extrovert and wonder if the reason I chose an extrovert to love is because I am amazed by the way they cruise through situations I am drained by. Perhaps I envy the way they excel in this world. I consider myself gifted with empathy and compassion and do not want to live my life chasing someone else's vision, but I want to embrace my uniqueness and still be able to do better than tread water when I have to deal with the extrovert world. I must confess I am probably more locked up than many of you. My best friend is my Australian Shepherd dog "Levi". I am a professional Landscape Designer. Bye for now! "Flower Girl" I read a book entitled the “Introvert Advantage” and I felt accepted and embraced in my uniqueness as an introvert. (Atleast I felt accepted for the hour and half it took me to read the book.) I’ve been passionate about writing poetry since 12 and re-read Emersons essays - because they are so reflective and I love to ponder things in a way that is considered foreign to extroverts. ( If only I could meet people like that.)I attended a church where everyone would stay after service for fellowship (very chatty/almost gossipy) and I couldn’t wait to get out of there even though I like the idea of friendships. I like the idea of hugs and praying for each other but it absolutely has to feel genuine for me to open up. The more poeple would try to chat me up - the more I wanted to run. The prayer groups felt more like prayer cliques to me. I do best in social situations that are sports minded.
Tennis is how I met my first husband. I ride a tandem bicycle with my current fiance. I worry about being able to marry a man who is an extrovert and wonder if the reason I chose an extrovert to love is because I am amazed by the way they cruise through situations I am drained by. Perhaps I envy the way they excel in this world. I consider myself gifted with empathy and compassion and do not want to live my life chasing someone else’s vision, but I want to embrace my uniqueness and still be able to do better than tread water when I have to deal with the extrovert world. I must confess I am probably more locked up than many of you. My best friend is my Australian Shepherd dog “Levi”. I am a professional Landscape Designer. Bye for now! “Flower Girl”

]]> By: Gloria http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6943 Gloria Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:59:28 +0000 http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6943 Your coffee routine story cracked me up, too, because I've been there, done that. I'm used to being "invisible" in public. Of course, then I went and married a huge extrovert who tends to stand out by his looks alone (shoulder-length dreds on a man aren't too terribly common in midwestern corporate america); but then he also has this "I'm special, look at me" attitude, so service people tend to recognize him after only one visit to a place. My son seems to be taking after him. We call him our "ambassador", because whenever we walk into a place he walks up to anyone who'll look his direction and starts introducing all of us. I think it's his mission to meet everone on the planet, since he was very disturbed when he found out we didn't know EVERYONE's names. Now, every trip to the grocery store, auto mechanic, etc. is fraught with people recognizing me! If this keeps up, I'll have to drive to Delaware when I want to grocery shop in private. :) I just have to say - it's awesome that you are self-aware enough to do what's needed to get yourself back on track. Just another reason you're so inspirational. Your coffee routine story cracked me up, too, because I’ve been there, done that. I’m used to being “invisible” in public. Of course, then I went and married a huge extrovert who tends to stand out by his looks alone (shoulder-length dreds on a man aren’t too terribly common in midwestern corporate america); but then he also has this “I’m special, look at me” attitude, so service people tend to recognize him after only one visit to a place. My son seems to be taking after him. We call him our “ambassador”, because whenever we walk into a place he walks up to anyone who’ll look his direction and starts introducing all of us. I think it’s his mission to meet everone on the planet, since he was very disturbed when he found out we didn’t know EVERYONE’s names. Now, every trip to the grocery store, auto mechanic, etc. is fraught with people recognizing me! If this keeps up, I’ll have to drive to Delaware when I want to grocery shop in private. :)

I just have to say - it’s awesome that you are self-aware enough to do what’s needed to get yourself back on track. Just another reason you’re so inspirational.

]]> By: Marie http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6929 Marie Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:22:23 +0000 http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6929 Cool exploration of this. I'm enjoying the other comments too. There are so many of us out here in various shades of introvert. Your coffee-counter experience felt very familiar. Sometimes I just don't want to be that known or that chatty or that interactive. Feels like an extra effort of energy. I love those self-service checkouts for just that reason! The older I get, the closer to the middle of the spectrum I test, another extroverted introvert. So if I don't get enough social interaction, I get depressed. If I don't get enough alone time, I get manic, then grouchy, and/or start to zone out from over-stimulation. I actually really enjoy putting on my extrovert face, but afterwards it's a relief to take it off and just "be." Fortunately, I'm married to another social introvert, so we support each other's idiosyncrasies. Talk talk talk, okay, now I have to be quiet... What I notice is that I now enjoy working in fields where I have to "present/perform" and be "on," but it's a familiar role (my "stage persona"), and I'm comfortable in that groove. Outside of the role is another story. When talking to others in similar situations or roles, it seems the more you have to perform, the more you need other routines to conserve your energy. I've started building self-nurturing routines into my work to protect my equilibrium better. It's actually pretty cool how well that helps. Cool exploration of this. I’m enjoying the other comments too. There are so many of us out here in various shades of introvert. Your coffee-counter experience felt very familiar. Sometimes I just don’t want to be that known or that chatty or that interactive. Feels like an extra effort of energy. I love those self-service checkouts for just that reason!

The older I get, the closer to the middle of the spectrum I test, another extroverted introvert. So if I don’t get enough social interaction, I get depressed. If I don’t get enough alone time, I get manic, then grouchy, and/or start to zone out from over-stimulation.

I actually really enjoy putting on my extrovert face, but afterwards it’s a relief to take it off and just “be.” Fortunately, I’m married to another social introvert, so we support each other’s idiosyncrasies. Talk talk talk, okay, now I have to be quiet…

What I notice is that I now enjoy working in fields where I have to “present/perform” and be “on,” but it’s a familiar role (my “stage persona”), and I’m comfortable in that groove. Outside of the role is another story. When talking to others in similar situations or roles, it seems the more you have to perform, the more you need other routines to conserve your energy. I’ve started building self-nurturing routines into my work to protect my equilibrium better. It’s actually pretty cool how well that helps.

]]> By: Sang-Shil http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6928 Sang-Shil Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:38:23 +0000 http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6928 Wow, what you described in this post fits me like a T, except that it sounds like you're better at faking it than I am. People can't understand why I'm so hesitant to schedule two social engagements on the same day, and ones that are back-to-back really tire me out. And part of the reason why I'm trying to cook more is because we've become "regulars" at all of our local restaurants, so I totally got the part about dropping the coffee routine! Wow, what you described in this post fits me like a T, except that it sounds like you’re better at faking it than I am. People can’t understand why I’m so hesitant to schedule two social engagements on the same day, and ones that are back-to-back really tire me out.

And part of the reason why I’m trying to cook more is because we’ve become “regulars” at all of our local restaurants, so I totally got the part about dropping the coffee routine!

]]> By: cherylc http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6927 cherylc Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:33:26 +0000 http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2008/02/17/introversion-in-action/#comment-6927 I'm a shy extrovert. This presents its own problems. I’m a shy extrovert. This presents its own problems.

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