Extrovert | Dr. Margaret Paul

Overwhelmed and Frazzled

By Margaret, on August 10th, 2020

By Dr. Margaret Paul August 10, 2020

Do you tend to get frazzled when a lot is going on? Discover why.

Do you get overwhelmed and frazzled when too much is going on? Does your system feel on overload when too much hits you at once?

This is a common experience for introverted and . . . → Read More: Overwhelmed and Frazzled

Do You Define Your Adequacy By Looks and/or Performance?

By Margaret, on April 1st, 2013

What was valued and approved of in your family as you were growing up?

When you were growing up, how did you learn to define your worth? Here are some of the things my clients have said to me:

In my family, we were valued when we got good grades. My parents were very intelligent and accomplished in their professions and they obviously defined themselves and us by our intelligence and performance. I am more the right-brain creative type and never did very well in school. I have always felt inadequate.
My parents were both very attractive, and this is what they seemed to value in themselves and in us. I’m average looking and I’ve always felt inadequate.

My father was an excellent athlete and wanted the same for me. I’m not the athletic type. I’d rather stay home and read. My father always ridiculed me for this. I still feel inadequate that I’m not into sports like so many other guys. Continue reading Do You Define Your Adequacy By Looks and/or Performance?

Loneliness versus Solitude

By Margaret, on December 10th, 2012

Do you often crave solitude, or is being alone too lonely for you? There is an inherent reason for these differences.

“Language has created the word ‘loneliness’ to express the pain of being alone, and the word ‘solitude’ to express the glory of being alone.” –Benjamin Tillett

I find this quote very interesting in the light of recent research on introversion and extroversion.

The research indicates that introversion and extroversion are inborn qualities that stay with us our whole lives. About 20 percent of the population are introverts, which means that their nervous system is very different than that of extroverts. The nervous system of introverts is much more sensitive to stimulation and gets overloaded much more easily than that of extroverts. It is likely that introverts, looking at the above quote, might say, “Well, I’m not sure about the pain of being alone, but I certainly understand the glory of it.” Continue reading Loneliness versus Solitude