I am what you’d call an extroverted introvert. Now, it hadn’t always been this way: I used to be an introverted introvert. See, in my younger years, I was pathologically shy. I couldn’t order at McDonald’s. I couldn’t call people up on the phone. It took me a long time to warm up to people. It wasn’t because I didn’t like them, it was because, well, everyone scared me.
But hey, I’ve gotten over that. I got over my fear of being laughed at by always being the first one to laugh at me. It works, so I guess there’s that.
But even though I am now capable of attending parties and engaging in idle chit chat, it doesn’t mean that I like it.
When I’ve been too social, my inner introvert screams to be caged in. No, seriously. I can be all boisterous and friendly, but I can’t hang on to it for extended periods. Large crowds get to me. And once I’ve hit my limit, or exceeded it, I have to go find myself a wall to stare at.
Seriously. I get overloaded with all the people, and soon the chit chat becomes a struggle. I start running my words together, and my tongue gets twisted. And once that starts happening (unless I have had a few too many margaritas), I know I need to find that empty room and stare at that blank wall STAT.
So, I guess I’m not surprised with my exhaustion tonight.
Last weekend, we did three parties in two days. This weekend, we’re doing two parties in two days. And though I love and adore the people I’m seeing, I’m finding the whole process utterly exhausting.
Yes, exhausting. I’m so tired I can barely see, and all I want to do is sit at my computer and write. You know, lose myself in something different for awhile. I never was, not will I ever be, the party girl. Not even in college. I’d go to the parties, and come home with a social hangover way worse than the one from alcohol.
Hm. I think that’s still true.
If you are an introvert, what do you do to recharge the depleted social battery? Or are you a true extrovert?
There's a Bee in my Bodice 