This video came out right before Christmas and it’s still stuck in my head. I love being around people and hanging out with friends but some times I just don’t want to go to a party. I too can be “anti-social and lazy.”
Never forget: INTROVERT DOESN’T MEAN SHY
Here’s Susan Cain, author of Quiet, making the difference between the two clear in her very famous TED Talk:
[Being an introvert] is different from being shy. Shyness is about fear of social judgement. Introversion is about how you respond to stimulation.
I’m so grateful I’ve grown over the years and better understand what’s going on inside of me. I used to force myself to hang out with people all the time because I thought it was what I was supposed to do. I’d always end up so drained from being overstimulated. I felt obligated to be out with people but I wasn’t having fun and I’m sure I wasn’t very fun to be around.
I’m also grateful for friends who understand me too. We can be hanging out and I can say “I need to go for a walk” and no one is going to try to guilt me into staying. They get it. First they check if I’m ok and then they let me get alone and recharge.
It’s ok to not go to the party some times.