I recently read Quiet by Susan Cain, and it was absolutely fantastic. It's rare that I find a self help book so directly pointed at my personality and how I think.
For anyone who hasn't read it, Cain is writing about the difference between extroverts and introverts. One of her main focuses is the way our society and hierarchy is centred on extroverts, and how we can all work together to account for differences in personality.
For me, it validated the way that I feel in group situations and why I can be so scared to speak up or act. Sometimes I feel strange, like there's something wrong with me and I don't know why I can't be outgoing like a lot of the people I know. I've trained myself to act like an extrovert in a lot of business situations when it's important, but it still feels wrong and my internal dialogue is full of stress and fear.
I really enjoyed Cain's POV on the different ways that introverts and extroverts recharge. Extroverts get their energy from group situations, and introverts recharge by being alone. Whenever I'm out with a group of friends or doing anything, no matter how much fun I'm having, all I want to do is go back to my house, cuddle up in my bed and read a good book. A few hours at a gala or the mall can be really great, but after a while I just need to get away from all the people.
Expanding on her thoughts a little bit, two days ago I was out at a conference all day and didn't get home until around midnight. I had to get up early the next day, so I went straight to sleep. I was still exhausted and overwhelmed the next day, and I realized that sleep isn't enough to recharge me. I need something solitary before I go to sleep, whether I read, organize my room, or browse the internet. Sleep by itself won't work.
All in all, this book really made me feel better about how I am; it's natural, not strange. There are other people feeling just like me, and I can now plan my days in order to recharge well.
No comments:
Post a Comment