Themed Weekend: Home Again, Home Again

Themed Weekend: Home Again, Home Again 1I'm one of those rare people who sit squarely in between introvert and extrovert. I've taken about a million personality tests (thanks, in part, to my masters degree in counseling) and I'm always right in the middle of those two classifications. Those "results" make sense to me because I can walk into new places and introduce myself to strangers (and enjoy the experience), I am energized by unknown settings and social circles, and I love the adrenaline of standing up in front of a huge crowd to speak at a conference or other event. BUT I also love intimate connections and aloneness and family time. I want newness and variety, but I also want the sameness and familiarity of my brown leather chair, family walks after dinnertime, snuggles with my daughter in the morning, the click-clacking of my fingers on my laptop keyboard as I write in solitude.

I am a social butterfly in some settings (yes, I was the student body president and the homecoming queen of my small town high school), but - other times - I am quiet, thoughtful, analytic, watchful. 

Themed Weekend: Home Again, Home Again 2One thing is certain, however. I always love coming home. I love being here - comfortable, relaxed, doing mundane routines with my baby girl and my handsome husband by my side. Home is a haven and, in many ways, I am the biggest homebody of all.

This weekend is all about house stuff - entertaining, cleaning, living in, maintaining the four walls that surround us, and being thankful for this space to call our own.

YOUR TURN: Are you more of an extrovert or an introvert? Do you relish the comfort of homes or do you gravitate toward the social scene? Are you energized by big crowds or by quiet moments?

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25 comments on “Themed Weekend: Home Again, Home Again”

  1. I am a huge extrovert when I'm in a crowd of people that I know. When I'm out and with my friends I tend to get a few drinks in me and I'm the social butterfly.

    However, when I am around people I don't know, I've been told I'm kind of a 'B'. I get to be a bit shy and aloof, though I'm not that kind of person, I just put myself off that way the first time. I just kind of stand around and watch until someone approaches me. Most of my friends tell me that when they first met me they thought I was a snob. However, once they get to know me... I'm the opposite.

    I am NOT sane until I get home though. Once I walk through those doors I feel safe. I get around my kids, toss on my comfy shorts or in my PJ bottoms and we will all sit around and watch TV, or just talk. I love to be with my kids, even if they are all off at the pool or on the computer, at least I know they are safe within our home.

    I can't imagine how horrible it is for people who don't feel safe in their homes, where do they go to be safe or to feel comforted? It's sad for me to see kids or women who are unhappy where they live, your home should be your haven.

  2. Choice C. It depends. Typically, I'm an extrovert. I love being social, meeting new people, and I have several close friends (even though they're scattered across all areas of the globe). When we first got married, I wanted to hit the town, at the very least, hang out at the local coffee shop and listen to the live music venues. Every weekend, my husband (introvert) wanted to veg at home. For him, going out was draining. For me, staying in at home was draining.

    Then . . . I had a baby. And, I didn't want to step foot outside the home, yet I had cabin fever. I wanted to connect with a community of moms who'd been through this before, but I was reluctant to meet new people (way too much effort and draining). Part of it was just the emotional/physical newness of post-partum and mommyhood, and the other was that I was a stranger to a new town AND I just had a life-changing experience. That's enough to make anyone want to crawl into her shell and just stay in a protective environment.

    Now, Calvin's older. I'm in a new state and a new town...and I'm back to my old self. Ready to embark on new adventures (with baby in tow), and meet other moms and families. In fact, I've discovered a whole new group of people for social networking: moms and families...instead of the ladder climbing professionals that I've hung out with for most of my adult life.

    So, when I'm feeling like ME...healthy and happy: I'm totally in my groove as an extrovert. When I'm really out of my comfort zone (read: post-partum and living with husband's grandparents in a country town and can't find any peers) then, I found out that I became an introvert.

    Guess we're all capable of living on both sides of the coin.

  3. I am both too. Happy with people. Happy alone.

    I get to be alone more now that my daughter is school aged (but seem to keep taking in too many pets).

    I call myself an extroverted introvert. I think that's the best description. People thought when I was younger, I was an extrovert. They still think that.

    But now I know that I'm an extroverted introvert. And it's really good to know.

    Cheerio!

    :) C

  4. Home! I love it at home. I enjoy the comfort, the security and my husband. I love to have the children and grandchildren "at home" often and we do.
    Please don't get me wrong, I absolutely love to travel too. Planned or last minute, you can count on me to jump in the car or board a plane passport in hand, however I'd much rather be home than in a crowd.

  5. Like you, I think I tend to fall in between. I love being onstage, talking to people, having lots of friends, etc. But I also love time at home to play games with my family or just sit and read quietly and sometimes don't desire to be in the middle of a huge party. I used to be all extrovert. Like 120%. But after my first pregnancy some of that changed.

  6. I, too, have taken MANY of these tests! While in College, I was a "Head Resident" (often called a Residence Assistant (RA) at most schools) and had to go through extensive training. In that training, we took all sorts of tests.

    I was always mostly in the middle, but toward to Introvert side. I *need* quiet, alone, time to recharge. That is how I get my energy, and that is why I am an introvert. The extrovert in me (which is less pronounced than the introvert) can get up in front of a room, make small talk with anyone I meet, and enjoys meeting new people at large gatherings. At the end of the day, though, I need my time. I need to be quiet, with my family and people I love. I need to read, relax, and recharge. And for me, recharging is all about the solitude and not being around tons of people.

  7. I am such an introvert. I feel most comfortable at home and with close friends. Going into new situations and meeting new people always makes me anxious.

  8. I, like you, am somewhere in the middle! I love going to new places and am very comfortable making new friends. However, there's nothing quite like coming home to my quiet, little country house!

  9. My mom tells me that when I was the age of my little guy (14 months) I would just scream when anyone would look at me or try talking to me. My own little guy thrives on the attention of others. Everything is all about him and he knows it!
    I have LONG since grown out of my shyness as a toddler. I am so energized (hyper) around my friends. I am a true social butterfly at heart! That being said, I absolutely love being with my hubby and son. We love doing projects to our home (not housework, housework is a bad, bad word). Putting our stamp on our house and making memories. I need both sides in my world.

  10. I tend to prefer the quiet comforts of home, but only when everything is in order and I can just sit back, relax and enjoy the girls and the Hubby... when Hubby's on his best behavior, that is.

    I fare well in large, crowded, loud situations, but I definitely don't enjoy them as much as home.

  11. I am very much an introvert. (I had a counselor friend tell me so, so it must be true, right?). I definitely get energy being alone, regrouping, delving into one subject, quiet time, etc. But I love small groups of friends and social engagements in smaller doses.

    I must say, the world is made for extroverts. Having your kids going a million directions, being involved in everything under the sun, the rapid pace of life. I read a great book called "The Introvert Advantage"...an awesome book for any introvert (or spouses of). It stated that the world is made up of 75% extroverts and 25% introverts. I believe it!

    Great post! ;)

  12. I would say I am in between but I would much rather be at home than out doing the social scene. Glad hubby and I agree on that one.

  13. Wow, you're lucky to be comfortable in most situations. I've evolved over my lifetime. My preference used to be toward the introvert, but with life and career experience, I scored (just barely) into the extrovert arena on Meyers-Briggs. (I'm an ENFJ) But being "on" oftens gets tiring for me, and it's easy for me to retreat to the comforts of home. Great post.

  14. I'm definitely an introvert. Always have been. I spent most of my teenage free time just locked away in my bedroom with my own thoughts. The internet has unlocked a little bit of my extrovert, I guess, because I can still talk and enjoy "socializing" without getting face-to-face, which can often be uncomfortable for me. I'm horrible at introducing myself to a new crowd, and will often be the one just sitting and listening (and enjoying!) the conversation without ever putting in my own two cents, even though I have thoughts running through my head.

    And even though I don't necessarily *like* my home (it's small, cluttered, needs a thorough cleaning...), I *still* manage to crave all the comforts and routines that I'm used to at home after I've been gone for a few days!

  15. I would describe myself the same exact way that you talk about yourself - right in the middle. I enjoy both the intimacy of being home with my family but also thrive on the group social settings! Best of both worlds.

  16. Definitely mostly introvert, but over the years I've trained myself to "perform" in certain situations that require me to be more extroverted. After all, I became a teacher, I'd better have a mechanism for handling the spotlight.

    I'm happiest with my little family at home, but I do enjoy and thrive in social events with good friends.

  17. I think I'm in the middle, but have a tendency towards introvert. I don't mind being social, especially with a group of people I'm very comfortable with (a big group of my family, or all the girls from church I hang out with). But most of the time, I prefer to be with my immediate family at home (hubby and 2 girls). I love my home and am striving to make it a haven (we just bought a new house).

  18. I can flip depending on the situation. Growing I was extremely shy but had my close group of friends that I was not that way with. In college I grew out of this a lot! To the point where like you - I'm in between on the personality tests. Most of the time I'm perfectly fine just staying at home with hubby and daughter on the weekends. But then I find myself feeling so energized when I'm around friends and being social.

  19. I started life as an extreme introvert. As a kid I much preferred books to friendship and loved quiet and solitude. I've definitely made a shift as I've gotten older. I would say I'm on middle ground like you. Sometimes I'm outgoing, introducing myself to the newest face at church, planning a scrapbook night and other times I love to sit in a corner in a group of people and silently observe or stay home and read.

    I'm definitely less on the homebody side, unless I'm working on some new project, or vegging out on my SNES. I enjoy getting out of the house nearly always, but not always for reasons of socialization.

  20. Homebody? Guilty as charged.

    btw, these are my favorite kinds of posts from you - the kind that give us a glimpse into, well, into you.

  21. To say that I'm an introvert is understated. I do great in small group situations (even with strangers) but I would much rather be at home than out partying.

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