On NOT going on an adventure...

Little one taking a little break on Angel Island/Photo Credit: Scott Mansfield

I think that adventure is the right choice 98% of the time. Even small adventures like a walk in the rain win out over (some) responsibilities or laziness. Adventure refreshes the soul and makes you feel like you can tackle the rest of life.

Sometimes your guts cry out to stay home and you have to have a chat with yourself about the benefits of going out. You KNOW the adventure will be fun and good for you, you just have to get out of bed or away from the computer. But sometimes you DO have to listen to your guts. Sometimes your guts know that you are avoiding hard tasks. Sometimes your guts know you are fragile.

I've been dealing with some anxiety issues lately. I won't bore you with details...I just have some work+healing to do. But my brain+body issues mean that I'm hovering closer to my limits and do need to pay attention when my gut says "don't go!" If I push past my mental and physical limits I get cranky and tired and withdrawn...in other words, no fun to be around. Staying home and staying quiet can really help bring me back to a little closer to normal. Sure, I might miss out on a special moment, but I know I'll hear stories about it and see pictures, and I know I'll be ready for the next adventure.

introverted

Earlier this summer I came to THIS post called 10 Myths About Introverts via kottke.org.  While I pretty much already knew I was an introvert, something about the content and timing of this really made it stick with me.  The list derived from the book The Introvert Advantage.

I often worry about being perceived as rude and anti-social.  I don't necessarily think of myself as shy, but at the same time I can really have a hard time interacting with people. Reading the list of myths became an 'I am not alone' moment, or rather 'I am not crazy'.  I sent a link to Scott and he declared it jaw-dropping...as if I had been interviewed.  Scott is much more of an extrovert, and sometimes it's challenging to balance ourselves out...we consciously compromise and try to understand each others' needs.  He grabbed this book at the library for me.  I knew I would want to blog about it, so after reading it once through I started over to take notes...but found I was writing nearly everything down. I finally just bought my own copy. 

As with most things in life, there is a gradient to the amount of introvert/extrovert in each person...it's not all or nothing. I do have extroverted tendencies, but, as the results of the self assessment in the book said, I'm 'pretty darn introverted'. According to the same quiz, Scott is actually about 60/40 extrovert/introvert. 

I will be posting more about what I find in this book from time to time because I find it fascinating and am learning more about myself and others...about introverts AND extroverts.