I’ve had a busy week so far. Well, busy by my standards, which included leaving the house each day and being around people (mostly people I didn’t know). And I don’t mean just being around them as in sharing the same space (like at the library or grocery store). I went places I’d never been before and was expected to talk to people I didn’t know. (Introverts like predictability and routine and the last few days were unpredictable and out of my routine.) So I’m declaring today an introvert self-care day. Here are the ingredients:

  • Clearly communicate your needs to others in your life (especially the extroverts). You could say, “I need an hour by myself to recharge” so your family knows it’s not them, it’s you.
  • Wear comfortable clothes. It’s chilly so I have on my favorite wrap sweater, leggings, and house shoes.
  • Enjoy coffee/tea/lemonade or other beverage of choice.
  • Turn off the noise. No TV on in the background. Not even the dishwasher or washing machine (if possible). I can add noise in (like my favorite Pandora station of movie scores), but at first it’s nice to have silence.
  • Brain dump all the issues from the last few days. I called my mom and talked through everything to get it off my mind, but sometimes I use a journal or even the blog.
  • Check out the stack of books you haven’t read. In my stack I have fiction and non-fiction, on a variety of subjects so I can pick one and if that doesn’t match my mood, I can switch to another.
  • Or, rewatch your favorite movie. My husband Lee laughs at me for rarely watching anything new, but if I only have a couple hours to myself, I want to spend it with a movie I know I’ll like instead of taking a chance.

After I take care of myself this morning, I’ll be ready to talk to a friend who is stopping by this afternoon. And I’ll be ready for our autism support group meeting tonight. A little time by myself makes me a much better people person.

If you’re an introvert, what helps you recharge?

(Want to check out what I’m reading?  Or learn how to help an introvert feel comfortable?)

 

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