We push ourselves out into the world to prove we are not weak, lazy, flawed, friendless, too introverted or too sensitive. We make ourselves stay in a heightened state of arousal because we don't want to give up. We want to keep up with everyone else. Resting or taking it easy feels like giving up. It [...]
Tyler approached me after my Myers Briggs presentation in his high school classroom. A tall young African-American man with long limbs and a wide smile, he'd asked engaging questions and made validating eye contact with me during my speech. There were a couple of other head- nodders and eye-contact holders in the class (Thank God for them!) but [...]
I have convinced my children that I grew up in an unusually kind place with an ideal school system. They believe I came of age in a charmed atmosphere of friendship and supportive learning. In my opinion, I did. My hometown, Alma, is a small community of 9000 people in central Michigan. We had one high school with about 1000 [...]
Introverts crave interactions of meaning and depth. Such connecting fills us up and depletes us less. Could physical touch be as fulfilling and meaningful as verbal caressing? Is connecting through touch comparable to emotional intimacy? Is physical contact more or less draining than verbal communication? Much like learning a new language, I'm deciphering the nuances and unspoken words [...]
I experienced a dating drought at the beginning of this year. My phone stopped ringing, my Match.com inbox dried up and I felt untethered. I felt real loneliness for the first time since my ex-husband moved out two years ago. It was strange. My whole being seemed to wither. I contributed meagerly to conversations. Writing ideas were few and [...]
