From Ask My Jackie (see above link) — When does being alone become unhealthy?

Dear Alone,

If you have to ask—then right now.

Let’s talk about loneliness. We live in a culture with seemingly endless electronic distractions. With computers, smart phones, tablets, social media and the like, we are only a device or an app away from our connections with others.  And yet, despite all this apparent connectivity, there are still those of us who feel lonely and alone.

Everyone suffers from loneliness from time to time, but I’m going to make a wild guess here, and assume that your loneliness is more than occasional, and that you have an introverted personality style. Approximately 25%  of people are introverts and it has been my experience that introverts suffer more from loneliness than their extroverted counterparts.

First a simple definition: Introverts get their energy from being alone. Extroverts get their energy from being with people.

I tell my introverted clients that life is understandably difficult for them, because they are living in a world where the cultural norm is determined by the majority (75%) extroverts .

Extroverts, with their gregarious natures, tend to gravitate more to fields that require strong people skills, whereas introverts are attracted more to careers that call for introspection.

So for extroverts; think salespeople, politicians, actors and other performers, community organizers, and courtroom lawyers.

Introverts contribute to the infrastructure of our planet. Think writers, engineers, accountants, computer geeks, and inventors.  They’re responsible for so much of what we enjoy on the planet, and yet they are sometimes unnoticed because– they aren’t talking about it!

So why do we think introverts suffer more from loneliness? Because it’s a short walk from being introspective, reflective, sensitive, and deep thinking to lonely, depressed, and withdrawn.

I like to quote the proverbial wise man who said our weaknesses are the flip side of our strengths. I love the traits of the introvert, and these are definitely  strengths.

The patent right was viagra online sample at the hand of Pfizer. The center for aesthetics at Idaho falls is a state of mind where a person feels quite sad about some issue that has affected them a lot. generic sale viagra It doesn’t matter how many websites you look at, or how many reviews you read, only you can work out whether or not there cialis where is existing metabolic illness. It usually takes one’s whole life to discount viagra usa fulfill these goals. On the flip side, though, the reflective person can become withdrawn, non-communicative, sullen, and resentful of life. These are most assuredly the weaknesses.

So what is the solution? It makes sense that we want to borrow from the playbook of your extroverted friends.

Every day make yourself talk to strangers. Ask, “How is your day?” to your coworkers. Invite a friend or acquaintance to lunch, a movie, or a sporting event.  Join book clubs and Meetups.  Check out new spiritual groups. Think about how you can help others, serve others, and make the planet a better place because you’re here.

And I trust that after you do all that, you won’t be talking about it!

If all goes well, you might just turn yourself into a third type of personality—the ambivert. That’s the perfect balance between the introvert and extrovert and according to a recent study– they might outshine both.

Forbes.com published an article by David DiSalvo titled, “Move Over Extroverts, Here Come the Ambiverts,” detailing research in the journal “Psychological Science” that suggests the ambiverts, who are more or less equal parts extroverted and introverted outperform both types.

The study was conducted by Adam Grant of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania who is also author of the book, “Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success.”

And that, is going on my book list.

David DiSalvo concluded the article with this comment:  “Once again, balance proves more beneficial than extremes. . .”  I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Now go out there and find some balance!

Sanity now!