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Monday, January 11, 2010

The Path of the Introvert


I don’t like everyone I meet. There, I said it. I recently had to decline an invitation from someone who always (yes, always) leaves me feeling unsettled and irritated – you know the kind, the one who seems to like you but makes remarks that leave you wondering “What the hell just happened?”

As an introvert, I used to tell myself that I was too sensitive, or not social enough (too much or not enough…now there’s a pair!) The bottom line was that somehow it was all my fault…and I agree that my feelings are my responsibility. But sometimes a jerk is just a jerk, and the best I can come away with is the power to recognize that when someone leaves me with the feeling that I lack something…well, quite frankly, it is they who are lacking.

So I had to decide how to deal with this friend. As an introvert, I already know that socializing saps my energy, but with the right people it is still quite rewarding. Why in the world would I spend my precious energy with the kind of person that just leaves me exhausted and drained?  Why indeed…so in an act of true self-love, I decided to Just Say No.

Here’s another confession…that felt pretty good too.

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