I expect most people consider me an introvert. I don’t think my preference to be alone is bad or strange, I’ve just always enjoyed doing the things I love on my own time and according to my own whims. For 30+ years I made many financial and social sacrifices in an effort to balance the expectations of being “a loyal friend” with how I would prefer to spend my time but now I’ve finally reached the point where I feel no obligation to trade my favorite pastimes for the social needs of others and as a result I’m really loving life.

Seldom do I find another who expresses my thoughts so exactly according to me…I pulled this from “The Simple Luxurious Life”  (photo for photo and word for word in an act of blatant plagiarism), a blog I’ve just discovered and one I hope I will continue to enjoy.

Getting lost in an intriguing book, reveling in time with a special friend or significant other – just the two of you catching up and sipping some wine, preferring to go to the Saturday matinee alone, strolling the streets window shopping without anyone else to fill your thoughts with conversation, longing for the time of day when you take your dogs for a walk and getting lost in their unabashed enjoyment. These are just a few of the many activities I enjoy and find them to be quit exhilarating and uplifting, as I find creativity, am able to see things from different perspectives and contemplate the next direction or how to handle a difficult situation without distraction.

With our modern world becoming more and more driven to socialize and remain in contact with the endless social mediums, it may seem that being introverted is looked down upon. So, while it may appear a bit ironic that I, a blogger, am embracing the introverted nature that society doesn’t seem to know exactly what to do with, I feel it is most deserved that we address the topic and discover its many treasures and gifts. Because trust me, it is full of riches to be enjoyed.

Now, even if you aren’t an introvert, you may have tendencies as differences between being an introvert versus an extrovert are not black and white, but instead fall on a continuum. To be absolutely one or the other isn’t the most healthy approach to a well-rounded and balanced life, but most of us tend to lean more one way or the other.

Myself being very much an introvert, preferring the social setting of one-on-one company when it comes to spending time with others, caused my curiosity to be piqued when Susan Kain’s new book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking was the topic of discussion earlier this week on NPR, which followed an article that I found last week on Harvard Business Review titled An Introvert’s Guide to Networking that I found quite fascinating.

Needless to say, I am comfortable with my own company and find that I am re-energized after I have time alone to explore, relax, plan or just be, while most extroverts are fueled by multiple interactions in a social setting.

With all of this being said, I thought I’d share today reasons to embrace your introverted nature, so that you no longer feel guilty about asking for an evening to stay at home or a quiet coffee for two without the incessant energy of a full house. After all, we are all wired differently, and it is vital, if we wish to reach our full potential, to heed what our bodies and minds need.

1. You Are You’re Own Fuel Tank

2. Intimacy Reigns Supreme

3. The Discipline to Think Before You Act

4. Able to Concentrate and Remain Focused

5. Self-Reflective, Thus Causing Opportunity for Self-Growth

6. Analytical Thinkers

7. Self-Sufficient due to Independence

8. Easily Entertained

9. Able to Appreciate the Simple Luxuries of Life

10. Less Drama – Less Complication

11. Able to Find Inner-Peace more Readily

And while yes, being an extrovert most definitely has its perks as well, find comfort in knowing that there are amazing things waiting for you when you choose to embrace the introvert that you are.

Thank you, Shannon Abbles, for putting my thoughts into words for friends and family to read!