I always struggle with getting myself motivated to go out and do things. I have a million excuses why I don't need to go and then end up feeling guilty for not going.Recent example:
I was debating if I wanted to go to a work happy hour. My internal argument was it was a Friday afternoon, I was tired, I was leaving from class so the location was out of the way, and near the end of the happy hour I can never find a good way to excuse myself and go home. I usually don't have anything I need to get to after the happy hours, but after 2 hrs I'm done and I just don't want to be there anymore. I always feel awkward leaving and never have the right thing to say to excuse myself gracefully.
I read "The Introvert Advantage" by Marti Laney. A lot of the items I have felt in the past were mentioned in the book. Indicators on the Myers-Briggs test can change over time. I took it in the 8th grade, high school, college, after college and the item that has never changed is I am as introverted as you can get.
Some interesting facts/comments regarding introverts from the book:
* Only 25% of the population is introverted
* Introverts have more blood flowing to the brain indicating more internal stimulation. And blood is flowing to different areas than extroverts - for introverts it is to the parts involved with internal experiences like remembering, solving problems and planning
* Walk around with a lot of thoughts and feelings in their heads. They often have internal dialogue with themselves.
* Can forget things they know well, might temporarily forget a word they want to use
* May not be aware of thoughts unless they write or talk about them
* May have trouble getting motivated or moving, might appear lazy
* "I enjoy social gatherings - as long as I know I'm leaving soon."
* It is often a struggle for introverts to decide whether or not to go to a social gathering. We all get caught up in what we should do, and we forget to think about what we want to do. Many introverts tend to foreshadow. They think ahead about what could go wrong, or remember how tired they felt the last time they went out.
* Phone phobia - it's an interruption that drains energy, requires losing internal focus, requires expending energy for "on-the-feet thinking"
* Tend to run cool and get chilled easily. Their normal body temperature is often below the average 98.6. If introverts feel too cold, it can be even more difficult for them to get going and leave the house.
* Are more sedentary than extroverts. They are not motivated to move as much.
* Introverts constantly evaluate what they have said.
The book offers a bunch of ways that introverts can fit into a world made up of 75% extroverts. The author also goes into scientific details about neurostimulators and what is physically happening in the body. The book combats the stereotypes of introverts being hermits or shy, as it has nothing to do with this but is rather if you get energy from being around other people(extroverts) versus you get your energy internally (introverts). It also goes into the details of introverts/extroverts dating/relationships. Generally, it helped me to understand there is a reason for my thoughts and actions and I am part of the minority which is why I usually thought I wasn't "normal".
