May Letter from the Editor
I don’t know about you, but I tend to get overwhelmed this time of year. There are so many things going on: graduation parties, family get-togethers, weddings, baby showers—the list could go on and on. On top of all those social obligations, I’m moving out of my apartment at the end of June, planning a summer trip, and wrapping up the school year (I’m a teacher by day). And of course, I’m managing Introvert, Dear!
For an introvert and a highly sensitive person like me, just the thought of all that busy-ness can be too much.
To cope with the stress, I had to swallow the very advice I’ve given to others (don’t you hate when that happens?). I had to take a deep breath and tell some friends, “Sorry, I can’t come.” As an INFJ personality type, I’m prone to people pleasing. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. So it was actually pretty painful when I had to reply with a firm “no.”
I sent one of those “no” texts just today, then I braced myself for the backlash. “She’ll be mad!” I panicked, feeling a rush of guilt. “I’m letting her down and being a terrible friend!”
I waited. And waited. Then, a few moments later, she responded: “That’s too bad about Saturday! But no worries. We should get together another time.”
I sighed. She understood. The topsy-turvy feeling in my stomach disappeared and my outlook on my busy week got a little brighter.
Anyway, enough about my drama. Since it’s almost summertime (and I’ll have more time on my hands—yay!), I’m excited to announce an open call for Introvert, Dear article submissions of certain themes. That means I’m looking for stories from you, dear readers. I’ll let you know more details in June, but, as a reader of this letter, you’re privy to a little preview. Here is one of the themes for next month:
Accepting yourself as an introvert or highly sensitive person: Think about one aspect of your introversion or high sensitivity, like overthinking, being overwhelmed, needing time to recharge, etc. Write about how this aspect affects you (for the better and for the worse). How have others perceived this aspect, and how did that make you feel? You might write about how you have come to accept this part of yourself; how you have grown in this aspect; or what you’ve learned in your journey toward acceptance. Make sure to include a personal story! Check out a great example of this theme here.
If you’re interested in writing an article about this theme, first check out our Writer’s Guidelines. You can submit your article anytime during the month of June by emailing it to [email protected]. I’ll choose a few of my favorites, make any necessary edits, and publish them on Introvert, Dear throughout the month of July.
As always, I want to thank our May Patreon supporters. Our supporters are not big corporations—they’re readers like you. Their donations are helping Introvert, Dear grow. You can see their names here.
How are you doing right now? Is the busy-ness of spring threatening to overwhelm you? Tell me about it in the comments.
Quietly yours,
