Ironicly, being an introvert has become a focus of attention in the past decade.  I embrace this aspect of my personality and was keenly interested in the book The Intorvert Advantage by Dr. Marti Olsen Laney when it first came out in 2002. 

Several years later a second book caught my attention when I was flipping through a Psychology Today magizine when a client didn't show up for an appointment.  Grumpily flipping through the pages, I straighted up when the article's title spoke of something to do with intoverts.  The author mentioned a book and I wrote down the author and title of the 2006 book, Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead by Nancy Ancowitz and bought it in the bookstore. 

Finally, I was watching a batch of TED Talks on YouTube earlier this year and stumbled across Susan Cain's talk, The Power of Introverts.  (side note: Science Channel has a great new series: TED Talks Science)  Her book came out earlier this year, Quiet: The Power of Intorverts In A World That Can't Stop Talking. 

 A trend.  Being comfortable in solitude is fashionable.  Just a little research on Amazon.com reveals at least 15 books available to purchase on the subject not including singleness, solitude, sensitivity, and shyness.  There's a batch of blogs on this trait over at Psychology Today.

Lot's of you that have these traits and enjoy what it brings to your lives.  You also work at not letting the balance tip too far while using solitude's gifts in service of your creative talents.  Or work against you when the time comes to engage more--publicizing, publishing, and promoting your work.

Yet, too much help can be just as frustrating as wandering around in uncharted territory.  Speaking of that, isn't wander around--seemingly unsure of the next direction part of the creative process?  Indeed.  Paradoxes mount when driven to create--to make meaning.

 

Is there too much focus on introversion?  Are there benefits to helping others understand the need to be alone?  Does it stop to matter?