What Do You Need

Hello friends,

On one of my walks a month or so ago, I came across a cute sticker on a metal utility box. It looked like the Loch Ness monster peeking up from some water that read “Introverted.”

I smiled, because, that’s me! I can sometimes play an extrovert, but at heart, I need space and alone time to recharge. Groups are a challenge for me. While I enjoy interaction, I spend most of my time alone. My favorite childhood activities were reading books, talking to trees, and watching jumping spiders. I had friends, but my core memories were not made with them.

Figuring out that this wasn’t a bad thing took time. It’s just the way I’m wired. And internet discourse also helped me uncover my form of neurodivergence, which is connected to this. The care and feeding of my introverted self is a thing I much more easily monitor now.

As a matter of fact, I’ve set up my whole life to take advantage of my love of alone time. I work from home. I write books. I go for walks. I see friends in smaller doses. I have plenty of time to read. All of this works for me.

My extroverted friends do not do well with too much isolation at all. They need groups the way I need solitude. Pandemic lockdowns were much harder on these friends than for us more introverted types. These friends also need to monitor what best feeds their minds and emotions. Not enough play time with friends and they become unhappy.

How about you? What do you need to feed yourself? What helps you best recharge? Is it time spent with others, or time spent alone?

It’s helpful to understand how we recharge our batteries, especially for caregivers or creative types. Wishing us all insight and ease!

best wishes — Thorn

Do you want a charming escape? My Mouse Thief Cozy Fantasy Caper novellas are on sale at my web store! Two ebooks for $5.99!