I had such a fantastic two night getaway in Sedona.  Just driving up there and back by myself was something I needed to do.  People laugh when I explain that I’m an introvert because I think most people really don’t understand what that means.  Introvert/extrovert has to do with how a person gets their energy recharged.  Some people need to be around others or out “in the marketplace” to gather energy and bring it in to themselves.  That’s how they fuel their reserves.  Others, like me, tend toward more alone time to get that needed refueling.  I think I probably need more than most and have my entire life.  I remember being happy spending hours in my room alone as a kid.

What’s confusing is you can be extremely outgoing (like me) and still be an extreme introvert (like me).  People will scoff sometimes thinking those two things don’t intersect but I’m here to tell you, once I found that out about myself and started giving myself more permission for that alone time, my life got a whole lot more manageable.

They say (not sure who “they” are but anyway) “comparison is the thief of joy”.  With that thought in mind, introverts, especially outgoing socialization loving introverts can get confused even to them (our) selves.  Yet, once you get that precious alone time to recharge, you know exactly what you’ve been needing and craving.  I’ve started to distinctly plan more of that in to my regular life or I will get stuck on hyperdrive and go a bit batty.

Just spending time, by myself, puttering around the house is quite possibly my favorite past time.  I may do a little of this, a little of that, stop for a bath, return to a project, watch a movie, do a little more.  That kind of “wandering aimlessly” time spent is like a meditation retreat for me.  I just love it.  I found myself just smiling to myself this weekend moving like inside a kaleidoscope from little project to project.

If you’re interested, here’s a good link that really will make sense to an introvert:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/problems-only-introverts-will-understand

Here is a little collage of some things I worked on while up at the Sedona house for two nights this weekend, alone.  Decorating, baking, resting, puttering.

I also did some fun socializing with the Boys and some other friends who were in town. We went to this lovely luminaria holiday event at the charming shopping /dining/arts village Tlaquepaque.  We heard some great music, danced, shopped, roamed.  It was such a Christmas spirit kinda thing.

We returned to the Boys house for these wild Kiss my Aztec cocktails and more dancing and fun.  Let’s say I just rolled back home in the morning for my day of extreme putterage.  😉

I’ll head back up with my family this weekend but those solo trips are keeping me sane and happy and grounded.  And I can’t wait to show off my handiwork to my family.  🙂