Thanks to the pandemic, introversion -- at least for the time being -- is the new normal, or, at the very least, is far more socially acceptable than it was just a few months ago. Who knows? It may very well become the new cool going forward in a society that ordinarily frowns upon those who value solitude and time for quiet reflection. It feels as though introverts have been waiting and prepared for an event like this their whole lives. Although I've touched upon introversion in earlier posts, here's a quick recap of what it really means to be an introvert: You draw energy inward. You're not necessarily shy or antisocial -- you simply need alone time for recharging.  You prefer small groups to large ones. You value one-on-one conversations because fewer participants means not having to vie with several others to get a word in edgewise.  You prefer communicating in writing rather than verbally because it affords you the opportunity to think through yo...

New research published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology has found a clear link between perfectionism and burnout at work, school, and sports. The findings suggest that perfectionistic concerns create a great deal of stress, resulting in depression, eating disorders, fatigue, anxiety, and even early mortality. Sounds almost counter-intuitive, right? When we're perfectionists, we're aiming to do our very best, so we figure that trying to be perfect at everything can only lead to positive health outcomes. But when things aren't going our way -- say, we can't seem to earn the grades at school or promotion at work we've worked so hard to get -- we start doubting our performance. Such feelings of insecurity can snowball into myriad health issues and interfere with our relationships. We begin viewing every mistake as a setback, and we lash out at people who display genuine concern in us. Not surprisingly, perfectionist concerns had the stronges...