And no, I’m not antisocial, I’m an introvert.  And no, I don’t avoid people, I’m an introvert.  I am not shy, and I do not have social anxiety.  I’m an introvert.

In fact, I love people, and I love being around people, and I love interacting with people.

But, “at the end of the day,” when my batteries need recharging, my preference is to do that with just one or two special people or to engage in some solitary activity: reading, crossword puzzle, listening to music, etc.

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), introversion is a preference.  It is not a mental disorder!

In relationships, introverts:

• Prefer quiet, so we can concentrate
• Dislike interruptions
• Like to think first, then speak (after we have rehearsed what we want to say)
• Try to work things out alone

As is true with each of the MBTI preferences, we are often attracted to people who are different from us.  Therefore, the persistent challenges in most relationships are:

• Recognize the differences
• Celebrate and respect the differences
• Recognize the tendency to “remake” our partner in our image
• Resist the tendency

The picture below represents a very clever and entertaining explanation of some of the introverts’ preferences.  Click on the image, and you will be directed to a most enjoyable site!