I used to think I was an extrovert. People who know me well laugh about that. The work I did was very high energy and demanded constant interaction with lots of other people. I became the person I thought I was supposed to be to do my job.
Now that I know I’m an introvert, it seems more obvious why my work wore me down, why I got sick a bunch, and why I felt completely depleted at the end of every work day, meeting, or event. I never took time to be alone, to refuel, or to soothe my heart.
Instead I kept pushing and growing and trying to thrive. There was always more to be done, more to prove, bigger goals, and higher hoops.
Many of us become our work instead of choosing work that becomes us. If you can relate, turn to simplicity and these 10 ways simplicity soothes the heart of an introvert.
- Simplicity creates time for long walks into solitude.
- Simplicity gives you permission to create boundaries.
- Simplicity provides more clarity which results in less distraction.
- Simplicity invites you to pay attention to what matters most, and let the rest go.
- Simplicity contributes to a good night of sleep.
- Simplicity allows you to be present and connect with loved ones.
- Simplicity can give you more freedom to search for the work that becomes you.
- Simplicity gives you the awareness to listen to what your body, heart, and soul need to thrive.
- Simplicity reminds you that you don’t need to prove anything anymore. You are enough.
- Simplicity is the way back to love. By simplifying your life, and eliminating things that don’t matter, you will find your way back to people you love, a life you love, and work you love.
It wasn’t until I began to simplify my life, and create more time for solo-walks, long writing sessions, and other quiet, thoughtful things that I realized I was an introvert. I love connecting with other humans, but I need them all to go away for a little while every day too.
Introverts may need more quiet time, more alone time, or room to create a happy heart, but extroverts need some heart soothing too. Instead of working to the point of burn-out, build time each day to be still, quiet and thoughtful.
Books like Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain, and sites like Introvert Dear encourage introverts to be who they are. It’s in that place when we are who our hearts want us to be that we can be all the way alive.
By becoming my work, and acting like an extrovert for a really long time, I lost myself. I forgot who I was and what I needed to thrive. I didn’t need a personality test to tell me I was an introvert. I needed some space and breathing room to remember who I was. I had to say, “enough is enough.” I had to be still and listen.
Thanks to simplicity, I tapped into the quiet and came back to love.