I've heard the phrase, "she's very introverted," as a classification of being shy, and "he's so extroverted" as one that is outgoing and social.

One of my very favorite things to talk about is personality traits, and how these traits impact our relationships. I've realized that one of the most important ones is how we rejuvenate- alone or around people. As you can probably guess, introverts require alone time in order to feel energized again, especially after being around people. On the other hand, extroverts are fueled by human interaction, and they hardly become tired after being around a lot of people.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: my mom is the saving grace of our household. Out of our family of 6, half are introverts and half are extroverts. Because my mom was able to recognize which of us were extroverts when we were really little, she spent a lot of time with us, explaining that we need a lot of interaction to feel energized. This caused a few issues when she explained that the other half of the family needed a lot of alone time for their sanity. Of course, me being the sensitive extrovert, I took that personally when I was 6. Over the years, she's reiterated that it has nothing to do with me, it's just in their personality to need that solitude, and that allowing them to be alone without guilting them will lead to a better relationship.

Ding, ding, ding. Mom's right again.

Understanding this about the people I love has allowed me to recognize the signs that an introvert needs a little time to themselves, and pulling back when that time comes. It helped me realize that most problems in relationships really are just a matter of understanding what the other person needs (including the love languages, which you can read about here.)

Reflect on your relationships this week, and consider how this trait influences you. Here's a link to a great personality test so that you can better determine your traits!