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I like people - I have to be very social in my field, at least on the road - but they do exhaust me. Mal called me an "extroverted introvert", and it fits.
Solitude and time to yourself really isn't a bad thing. I find it to be quite helpful, almost restorative, even inspiring if I'm writing or doing something creative. However, I do think there can be too much of it; I can get stuck in my own head. This wee brain in here just never shuts off, and when you're introverted it can cause *sigh* brooooooding, man, really motherfuck yourself.
So, I'm just very picky with the people I have in my life. I had lots of fairweather friends and acquaintances in my 20's - they're long gone. It's a very small circle now, and a good amount of it, admittedly, is family (not all of them, blood doesn't give you a free pass). The litmus test is this: can I be around you without feeling drained? Might sound fucked up, but it's a real feeling I have. So many people take, and may not realize it, despite how well they mean.
It's why I'm with Małgorzata. I can be around her for days at a time, but we can also state to each other that either of us just need some space without offense. it just works. My Dad once said "as you get older, your needs change. People run about and live their own lives, their own way. That's because, hopefully, they're starting to figure it out. If you're lucky, maybe you'll figure out before you're gone."
I know this forum shouldn't get this reflective or serious, but there's a bloke or two out there that would share your mindset. Until then, as long as you're not miserable, and you enjoy the solitude, appreciate it while you have it. Live how you wish, regardless if it's not "normal". It really can disappear in an instant.
Solitude and time to yourself really isn't a bad thing. I find it to be quite helpful, almost restorative, even inspiring if I'm writing or doing something creative. However, I do think there can be too much of it; I can get stuck in my own head. This wee brain in here just never shuts off, and when you're introverted it can cause *sigh* brooooooding, man, really motherfuck yourself.
So, I'm just very picky with the people I have in my life. I had lots of fairweather friends and acquaintances in my 20's - they're long gone. It's a very small circle now, and a good amount of it, admittedly, is family (not all of them, blood doesn't give you a free pass). The litmus test is this: can I be around you without feeling drained? Might sound fucked up, but it's a real feeling I have. So many people take, and may not realize it, despite how well they mean.
It's why I'm with Małgorzata. I can be around her for days at a time, but we can also state to each other that either of us just need some space without offense. it just works. My Dad once said "as you get older, your needs change. People run about and live their own lives, their own way. That's because, hopefully, they're starting to figure it out. If you're lucky, maybe you'll figure out before you're gone."
I know this forum shouldn't get this reflective or serious, but there's a bloke or two out there that would share your mindset. Until then, as long as you're not miserable, and you enjoy the solitude, appreciate it while you have it. Live how you wish, regardless if it's not "normal". It really can disappear in an instant.