My Secret Life: I Am An Introvert
It’s Thursday and Thursday for me means gardener, doggie day camp and typically a breakfast meeting then later a lunch meeting. These are pretty consistent happenings around here. Rituals, if you will.
They do a multitude of good for me and the rest of the Rinaldi household. The gardener makes my yard pretty, doggie day camp keeps the puppy properly socialized, and my meetings help keep me properly socialized.
You see, if left to my own devices, I’d live in a cave and be a hermit; at least that’s what I’ve been told. Personally I think caves are a bit too rustic for my taste, but the hermit part does occasionally sound appealing. And since I have my produce and dairy delivered on Wednesday (thanks to Farm Fresh to You and Rockview Farms) and rely on Amazon delivery for damn near everything else, I guess I don’t get out much once I am home.
My Thursday meetings could
easily be done by phone and if I didn’t put out some effort they would be. You see by nature I AM AN INTROVERT. This means I recharge by being alone. But is that always the best outcome for me?
After the first year of working from my home I realized I was out of touch with my friends, family, colleagues and, well, the world. I had thrown myself into the work I love and lost the connection to most other things. The part that bothered me was that it didn’t bother me…
I realize it’s important as an introvert to make the effort to connect with other people. This even goes for family connections, close friends and sometimes even Mr. Rinaldi. It’s not that I don’t enjoy other people’s company once I’m there, it’s just hard for me to see myself there in the first place.
Since life is about stretching and growing and this often involves doing what is uncomfortable, this is a ritual I have to work on. A little bit every week.
With the upcoming shift from a weekly radio show to a 5 day/week platform I am looking at this again. It would be so easy for me to stay in and do research today. To sit in front of the computer and work. Yes, even now as I type this I am looking at the time and realize I should be in the shower getting ready. And I will. In another minute or two. But for now I want to just bask in the quiet with my thoughts and my silence.
I’d love to hear how you recharge.
Hello, fellow introvert. Thank goodness for the online virtual world which has become my milieux. Added bonuses… Wear Lulu all day, do a wash and walk to dogs plus have the peace and quiet to get uber creative. :0)
I get energized by being in crowds with lots of people with whom I can connect. If I’m home alone I like to be in a MMOG (Massive Multi-Player Online Game). I can focus and work alone on projects, but prefer teams and the interactions. I have learned to listen more and ask questions to get introverts to talk more. I use to volunteer too much and take on too many things, but am learning to step back, ask and wait for others to speak up. I love connecting with people and will ask people about their day and life before rushing into business talk. I see where this helps get better buy-in, respect and understanding with closer working relationships when working with people too. It is like the Tuckman’s Group development model where we need to go through the forming, storming and norming stages first before we really get to the performing. 🙂
It’s wonderful that you’ve found things that work for you! Thank you so much for sharing.