Stress Reactions in Introverts and ExtrovertsWritten by Nancy R. Fenn
One of biggest differences between introverts and extroverts is how they react to stress.Some people don’t understand how introverts react to stress. Because of this, they think that all introverts are “neurotic” or mentally ill. Let me explain why this is a misperception. When extroverts are stressed they “act out”. They may smoke, drink, yell and scream, throw a punch, stomp around or generally raise roof. Although this behavior is difficult and even obnoxious, it is not considered “mentally ill”. When introverts are stressed, they withdraw. They do this to recharge their batteries, not because they are neurotic. Introverts need time alone to bring order back into their inner world. They give energy to others and receive energy when alone. Let’s look at some of things that can stress introverts. •Introverts are territorial. Someone cannot take your seat, move your stuff, lean on your desk, ignore your closed door or borrow your clothes without making you very angry. •Introverts need time alone to recharge their batteries. If denied time alone, you may become irritable and depressed. • Introverts value privacy. When your boundaries are disregarded, when someone has a loud personal conversation on their cell phone in your captive presence, such as waiting in checkout line at grocery store, you can be annoyed and offended. •Introverts fear failure in public and experience deep humiliation because of it. •Introverts prefer to communicate in writing. They may feel exhausted by too much verbal communication that “isn’t going anywhere”. Introverts hate small talk and cell phones. •Introverts like to be prepared. If rushed to present a solution or opinion, they may be extremely uncomfortable and sometimes refuse to do so at all.
| | Allow Yourself To Be HappyWritten by Gordon Bryan
People often ask me explain my statements, and title of this article usually has people forcefully telling me that it’s ‘the others’ that won’t stop them from being happy.Er, wrong. In fact, it *is* usually ourselves that stop us from being happy. Society and education gears us to expect life to be a slog, many decades of working in a job we don’t like, with reward of, oh, let’s say a white picket fence to go with your borderline pension. This kind of mental conditioning leaves us more often than not, spending 50% of our time worrying about yesterday, and day before, and day before that. The other 50%? We spend other 50% worrying about tomorrow, next day, and day after that!! That’s a whole lot of time spent worrying about past and/or future. So much time in fact, that we have precious little time left to think about, let alone *enjoy* present. As you read this, stop for a second, and look around. Really, take time to absorb moment. The past is gone, future hasn’t happened, but present is here!
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