Introverts three ways

You know how I raved about that introverted book a while back? Well here I'm going to share the author's description of what makes an introvert. Hopefully this will be helpful in itself, or else it will whet your appetite enough to get your hands on the book.

Introverts are energized by solitude. We are recharged from the inside out, from the forces of our internal world of ideas and feelings. Just as a geyser finds its power from a subterranean water source, introverts derive strength from hidden places. We generally fill our energy tanks in private or in the presence of one or two close friends, or else in a public place without interacting with those around us.

Some people miscontrue the introverted need for solitude as being antisocial. But it's not that we don't like people, it's that time with other people in the external world has a draining effect on us . . . . Long periods without quiet refueling leave introverts feeling physically exhausted and emotionally hollow. [p35-36]

. . .

In our culture we are continuously bombarded by stimuli, in the forms of information, images, conversation, and a multitude of other data and experiences. In order for introverts' lives not to degenerate into disassociated states of confusion, we need to process these stimuli and integrate them into our lives . . . . Introverts process internally, in the workings of our own minds. We integrate and think silently . . . . Our thinking precedes our speaking, which means we will often pause as we reflect and carefully chose our words . . . . When the finer filters of introverts become clogged in the presence of people, we often go silent. Though we may appear composed on the outside, our minds are in a state of constant activity. When important or difficult information comes our way, ideas swirl in our heads in a hurricane of mental activity [p37-39]

. . .

A third distinctive of the introverted temperament is the preference for depth over breadth. This applies to various aspects of our lives. Introverts tend toward high degrees of intimacy in our relationships . . . . We may find small talk disagreeable and tiring . . . . Introverts also prefer to have depth in fewer interests . . . . Our passion for depth also applies to our understanding of ourselves . . . . Introverts are experts in our internal worlds, aware of the strata of motivations, feelings and assumptions that determine our choices and behaviours. [p41]