Jessica Pan opens her book saying "Let's be clear: I don't think anybody - introvert, extrovert or otherwise - needs to be cured. But, I was, for a while, an unhappy introvert, and I wanted to see how my life might change if I spent a year undertaking daunting new experiences. This book is about what happened next. Please enjoy my nightmares."
Pan simplifies the distinction between extroverts and introverts explaining that the extrovert attends the Rolling Stones concert and the introvert waits to watch the replay on MTV three years later. Her quest begins with a series of random moves, not just to new neighborhoods, but huge moves to new cities and countries. Her theory being that starting over would allow her to be a different person, and no one would be able to play the six degrees of separation game and somehow identify her as the shy girl related to the woman who lives next door to the telemarketer in the next cube. When that fails, she makes phone calls to therapists hoping to get some non face to face advice. Like hiding in new big cities, that was a fail; eventually she gathers her courage and begins working on her issue in earnest with a series of professionals. What ensues in a year of personal challenges - talking to strangers, performing stand-up comedy, hosting a dinner party, and travelling alone. Both hilarious and painful, Lee makes it through her year of exploring. Does she conquer? Is she now an extrovert? I'm not telling.
Along with the chronicling of therapies, the book is filled with factoids about introverts. According to the Myers-Briggs Type indicator, one out of every three people is an introvert. Introverts relish one-on-one conversation, avoid small talk, and, although they seldom initiate conversation, they fear awkward silences.
Most interesting - when we are stressed, our bodies release cortisol which interferes with our attention and shot-term memory. That's my excuse for not blogging yesterday as scheduled.
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