Category Archives: Introversion

Time Trials

Posted in About Me, HSP, Introversion by

I’m happy to report I’ve found additional work. Less happily, two months in, I’m hearing something I’ve heard too many times before: “Less depth, more speed.”
animated clock face with spinning hands
I’ll bet this is something HSP/introverts hear a lot.

I was hoping to avoid that in this job, as I’ve previously worked with my new boss, and he praised my detail-orientedness. But that was when someone else was paying for my time, and more importantly, my thoroughness – or not – had no impact on his workload.

The thing is, I can’t work more superficially. Engagement doesn’t have a volume dial for me. It’s either on or off. If I care at all about the work (which is essential), I have to give it my full attention. That’s the only kind of attention I’ve got.

Engagement isn’t the only issue. Continue reading →

The Other Half

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My preschool induction into non-introverted chattiness has had its costs. For instance, I’m in my 50s and still figuring out who I am (see Once upon a time, I thought I knew who I was).

But I’ve mostly been spared the experiences that make so many other introverts seriously pissed off at extroverts. One thing introverts say over and over in blogs and videos is that you simply can’t make extroverts understand introversion. I haven’t yet had to try, so I can’t speak to that. But I had an experience recently that made me wonder whether that doesn’t cut both ways. Continue reading →

Alone at Christmas, Thank God

Posted in Introversion by

This post is for the casual acquaintance who asks about my Christmas plans. You know the one I mean. The one who looks sympathetic when I say I’ll be spending Christmas alone, and disbelieving when I say I like it that way.

Here’s what Christmas looks like to me. Continue reading →

Networking for the Highly Sensitive Introvert

Posted in HSP, Introversion by

I went to a holiday party last night. I’m not a party person, but I’m looking for part-time work, and every recruiter and guidance counselor I’ve ever met was jumping up and down in my head, urging me not to miss this opportunity to “network.” I carefully chose my outfit (festive but classy), and created a conversation-starter name tag.

In my imagination, I saw myself chatting and joking with each stranger standing near me, circulating through the room until every person there knew how witty and sharp I was. If they had an opening, they would immediately want to hire me. If not, they’d want to create one just to get me on their staff.

Where do I get these ideas? Continue reading →

Is “down time” really down?

Posted in Introversion by

One of the first things that caught my attention in Susan Cain’s book, Quiet, was her quotes from people she described as “introverts pretending to be extroverts.” One man said “I need a lot of down time.” That resonated through me like some enchanted gong, growing louder and louder the more I thought about it, and then I realized…

I’m exactly the same way. Continue reading →