Sometimes introverts feel guilty about going within. It is so counter-culture as to be ridiculous. And yet, that is always the true solution for us. A deep green forest of the inner world or the arid desert of the outer world? That is a no-brainer for the introvert. So we must learn to let the guilt go.

We think the outer world is where we “should” be and you know what they say about shoulding on yourself. Don’t do it.

This morning I am lapping up the cool clear water of my work, which involves my introversion. I love to sit in the early morning typing away on a subject dear to my heart.

If I feel threatened by the world or by my own thoughts, my introversion wants me to gently sit with my feelings without trying to change them. Yes, the world wants to change me. But has it ever succeeded? I have plowed through the furrows of social occasions where I felt nothing but isolation. No matter how much I tried to chatter. The next day I had to rest.

Introversion is not something to be ashamed of. Growing up, people said I was too quiet and I felt guilty. I couldn’t say “Shut your yap.” And I saw the irony in that. They could criticize me but I was helpless against them.

No more. No mas. These days introversion calls me home. It replenishes me and enriches my life. The older I get, the less I am wanted socially anyway. I don’t dislike people; I am just wired for introversion. I like them better when I remain true to myself. And that makes me more likable.

So I raise my cup of tea to my fellow introverts. Let the inner stillness begin.

Vicki Woodyard