You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it?  After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

We've all been there at some point -- whether at home, school, or in the house of someone we just met. We become shy. We clam up. We have nothing to say. It leads others to assume we're shy, antisocial, even self-absorbed. As I've mentioned in other posts, sometimes it takes a real, concerted effort to get myself to talk to people. I try to avoid chit chat at all costs. Whether it's because I am tired or just not in the mood to gab, shutting myself from the world is all too tempting. Completely isolating yourself from everyone, though, is not feasible, especially when you work in Corporate America. Good communication skills are a requirement for most every job that calls for interacting with employees and/or clients. But this isn't exclusive to the work world. There are also the family get-togethers and other occasions that can drive the shy and introverted batty. I've come up with a technique that can help me better tolerate these situations. You kn...

Last night, I submittted a post that centered on the fact that many people feel uneasy in overly quiet settings. I wanted to take that very concept and focus now on silence experienced while in the presence of someone else. There's something about quiet people that makes some of us uncomfortable. Some people feel that quiet people are as such because they "must be hiding something." Others liken the tight-lipped with serial killers and mass murderers who carry out horrific crimes. Still others just can't wrap their heads around why someone could be so reticent and presume them to be stuck-up or overly self-absorbed. (If you're a quiet person yourself, you've likely been in this situation before.) This topic hits close to home because I have been a fairly quiet person my whole life (except through my writing). When I was a kid, my peers described me as weird and often teased me just to elicit some sort of reaction in me. When I finished high school and en...