Welcome to the Introvert Life series! Part one is all about how to identify your introvert stressors.
This series was originally an email series. At the time, I created it to build an email list, but I was never really motivated to do much with it beyond the email series.
I’ve recently decided to discontinue the series, but after hearing from one of you about how much you appreciated it, I hated the thought of losing all this content altogether.
So I’ve decided to transition this series into a blog series! You’ll be able to find future posts of the series here.
This series is going to give you ten introvert tips and tricks to help you improve your day-to-day life.
We’ll focus on you, your home, your work, your family, and your social life.
These are ten small, but key tips that really helped me lay the groundwork for a happier and more fulfilling life as an introvert. I truly hope they do the same for you!
Since building a happy introvert life starts with checking in with yourself, the first two posts are going to be all about YOU!
First up, What are your introvert stressors and how can you manage them?
What is a stressor?
I consider a stressor to be anything that you find totally zaps your energy.
Every introvert has stressors. Some are obvious, and some may be harder to identify.
For instance, any big social event with a lot of people (especially strangers) is likely going to be an obvious stressor. Even if it starts out fun, the number of people and length of the event will likely get to most introverts. Those are the obvious stressors.
Then there are the quieter ones.
Maybe you see something on your schedule, and you feel dread in your stomach and don’t know why. Or maybe there’s something you were really excited about, but once you show up, you find yourself wishing you were home after a short period of time.
In both of these cases, it’s likely that your introverted tendencies are trying to tell you that something in these situations is a stressor for you.
A massive element to building a happy introvert life is being able to identify your particular introvert stressors and manage them. And today, we’re going to talk about how to do just that.
Identifying your stressors
Make a list
I’d recommend making an actual list either on paper or digitally. But if you’re more comfortable making a mental one, that’s fine too! Whatever works best for you!
On this list, take inventory first of your more obvious stressors. This is any energy-zapping situation that you know you have a limited or no tolerance for.
Maybe it’s a party with more than fifteen people. Maybe it’s a dinner with your very loud family. Anything that leaves you feeling like you desperately need to be alone to recharge likely belongs on this list.
You may also have environmental stressors, like bright lighting, crowded rooms, or anything similar. Write those things down too!
Exposure time can also be a factor, so consider that when you’re making your list. For example, maybe you’re good to go to a party of more than fifteen people, but only for about 2 hours.
Keep this list handy, and be prepared to add to it as your less obvious stressors reveal themselves.
Check-in with yourself regularly
If you find yourself dreading an event or unsettled in a situation, take a step back and try and figure out why.
In these situations, try to tune into yourself. Try to be aware of what’s overstimulating you, taking your energy, and leaving you drained.
You may have to attend an event you’re dreading to figure it out. This will probably suck, but the information you learn will be invaluable in the long run. (Totally speaking from experience!)
Add your less obvious stressors to your list.
Managing your stressors
Opt out
This is, of course, the simplest (though not always the easiest). If and when you can, opt out of events that you know will drain you.
It’s nice to be invited, and yes, sometimes, you will be disappointing people. But tending to your introverted needs isn’t being selfish. It’s taking care of yourself.
I talk about this a lot on the blog (and it will probably come up again in this series) because I believe it’s really important.
You may not be able to opt out of every stressor, but do it when you can.
For instance, bars and weddings are stressors for me. There’s way too much going on in both settings and I find myself completely fried in under an hour.
So I opt out of every bar invite I get. I also decline wedding receptions, since that’s the part that really kills me. I’m happy to go to the ceremony, but I don’t think I need to be miserable to celebrate the people I care about.
Surround an event with downtime
Like we’ve covered, you may not be able to opt out of every stressor. In my case, I’m absolutely going to my close friends and family members’ wedding ceremonies, graduation parties, etc.
Even if I’m cutting down on what I’m attending, like in the case of a wedding, it still takes a lot out of me.
But a big advantage of identifying your stressors means you’ll be better equipped to see them coming (or realize when they hit) and plan accordingly.
For an upcoming event, do what you can to build in downtime before and after. This will help you preserve your energy going into the event and recover afterward.
For instance, if I’ve got graduation party on my calendar for Saturday afternoon, I’m not making any other plans Friday night, Saturday morning, or all day Sunday. That time is for me to prep and recover.
And if you find yourself hit with an unexpected stressor, try to carve out some extended recharge time afterward. It may not always be convenient, but I’ve found it’s always worth it in the long run.
Make changes in areas you can control
We live in an extroverted world, and there’s a lot about it that we can’t control. This is why it’s important to control the area we can. This is particularly true for environmental stressors.
If bright lighting is a stressor for you, consider investing in some lamps and low watt light bulbs, then turn off the overhead lights as much as possible. If you’re constantly hearing your next door neighbor moving around, consider getting a white noise machine to block out the sound.
Changes like this may seem small, but even eliminating small stressors like this can go a long way in helping you preserve your energy for when you need it most.
Looking for more tips on how to manage your introverted life?
If you want more tips and tricks on how to manage your introvert life and build plenty of healthy introvert habits, check out the Introvert Life Guide!
This guide was designed to help you build the introvert life of your dreams. And it’s full of plenty of tips, tricks, and ideas to help you create an introvert life that’s uniquely yours!
It will also help you embrace your introverted nature and build a life to help you thrive!
For more introvert life tips, check out the other introvert posts!
Sound off: What are your introvert stressors? Have you uncovered tips to help you manage them? Tell us about it in the comments!