Why There’s No Place Like Home for Introverts

For introverts, our home is our safe space. It’s where we hit the reset button on our energy.

As an introvert, I have an almost spiritual connection to my home. That might sound melodramatic, but it’s true — home is my haven, my sanctuary. It is my sacred space, the place where I feel most comfortable and able to be completely myself.

I believe many introverts probably feel the same way. Whether home to you is the place you grew up, the house or apartment you’ve made your own, or the bedroom haven you’ve carved out for yourself in a house full of other people, here are just a few reasons there’s no place like home for us introverts.

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Why There’s No Place Like Home for Introverts

1. Staying home is how we recharge our energy.

Introverts need time and space to decompress and recharge our social batteries. And because home is where I go to recharge, I’ve come to think of it as my primary energy source.

When you think of it that way, home is an incredibly powerful thing. At the risk of sounding totally zany, there’s even an almost magical quality about it; being home refreshes my soul and spirit in a way that nothing else really can.

On a practical level, home is where I am safe to cry, to make mistakes, to practice and fail. It’s where I choose what I let in — and what I don’t. I can fill my home with the things that energize me, such as music, laughter, and whispered confessions and honest conversations with my closest, most trusted friends. Even better, I can (for the most part) keep out those things that drain my energy — loud chatter, meaningless small talk, drama, and extroverts. (I’m just kidding about that last one… mostly).

Home is also where I am most mindful. It’s where I am able to think and reflect deeply. It’s where I spend the most time noticing — the light, the birds, the air, my breath. It’s where I tend to my garden, my loved ones, and myself. It’s the place where I am most grounded, rooted, and sure of myself, literally and metaphorically.

Home is my soft place to land, a warm hug at the end of a long day, a sigh of relief after I’ve been holding my breath out in the world. Home is where I prepare myself to face the harshness of life outside my own four walls.

In other words, for sensitive introverts like me, home is the safe space we need to regulate our emotions so that we can be our best, most authentic selves when we venture out our doors. It’s the reset button that allows us to interact with the world around us.

2. It’s the place where we have the most control.

When I am home, I have more control over my environment. I can keep the harsh, overhead lights off (highly sensitive people get it), working instead by the cozy lamplight on my desk or the sunlight that comes streaming through my windows. I can make myself a cup of coffee or tea whenever I want and play whatever music I choose — and at whatever volume I like.

In a world designed for extroverts, my home is designed for me. It is my very own introvert sanctuary: It is filled with calm colors, my favorite candles, warm blankets, and plants that make me happy. It’s where my cat is always waiting to greet me and the shelves are lined with my favorite books.

This is why many introverts who work from home are happier and more productive; when we control our environment, we can minimize interruptions, reduce socially taxing small talk and impromptu conversations, and design our space to be more conducive to our creativity and working style (because an open office plan just isn’t it).

Of course, I know that not every introvert has complete control over their home. If you have roommates, kids, or a partner, your home may still be filled with plenty of noise and distractions. If you can, though, try to carve out a small space where you do have that control. Design a space that’s just for you so you can step away when you need to and enjoy a moment of peace. Every introvert needs (and deserves) that!

3. Our home reflects who we are, because we put so much of ourselves into it.

Home is also a reflection of who we are; we put so much of ourselves into our homes.

My home is filled with sentimental belongings — nostalgic photographs, family heirlooms, gifts my favorite people have given me, things that bring me joy and peace. But even more than that, home is the only place where I feel completely free to turn “off,” where I explore my most creative ideas and divulge my deepest secrets. It’s where I am my goofiest, messiest, most honest self. My home feels incredibly personal, which is why I’m fiercely protective of it.

This is why inviting people into my home is a great act of trust, and why people coming into my home can sometimes feel like an invasion. It’s nothing personal; it’s just that I am a private person, and allowing someone into my home is like inviting them to step inside my mind and rummage through my innermost thoughts.

So for me, having houseguests, entertaining visitors (especially unannounced ones!), and hosting events can be incredibly draining. It really doesn’t matter who my guests are — having anyone in my space for more than a few hours is overwhelming. It forces me to be “on” in a way that I don’t normally have to be in my home.

Over time, I’ve gotten better at learning how to set boundaries for myself and my living quarters, and I’ve developed ways to cope with — and sometimes even enjoy — having company. But I’ve also come to realize that my home is an extension of myself, that it’s okay to honor that, and that it’s only natural for me to be selective about who I invite in. There’s nothing wrong with cherishing your home and protecting the carefully balanced energy you’ve cultivated there.

Do you ever struggle to know what to say?

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4. It’s a place where you can get creative.

Like many introverts, I am a creative person. I love exploring new ideas and projects, and my home is where most of those creative ideas take shape; it’s the environment that influences and harbors my work. My home is filled with crates of notebooks full of scribbled ideas, musical instruments, and craft supplies tucked into various corners and drawers.

As introverts, we need creative space to generate new ideas, organize our thoughts, and express ourselves through whatever medium we choose. Often, we need a calm, quiet environment where we can tune into that creative inner voice and explore our ideas, completely uninhibited. And, for many of us, home is where we go to find that much-needed space.

Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a particularly artistic person, you probably benefit from the creative space your home affords you — for example, when you need to think deeply, reflect on a big idea, or solve a complex problem.

For introverts, home is often the best (and sometimes only) place to turn to for the alone time that creative thinking requires.

5. It’s a place where you can connect meaningfully with the people you care about.

At the end of the day, home is where our most sacred and intimate moments happen; it’s where our most enduring memories are made.

Home is where we introverts connect with our closest people on a soul level. In my case, it’s one of my favorite places to sit and talk with my sister over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. It’s where my husband and I spend most of our quality time together, and where my kids will one day learn love, respect, compassion, and joy.

While the rest of the world might see introverts’ love for staying home as a defect, a sign that we are somehow “boring” or “missing out,” I’m proud to be a homebody. I’m grateful to have the type of introverted mind that sees the incredible value in making my house a home and cherishing the time that I spend there.

So, the next time you feel like staying home, I encourage you to do so — unapologetically. Romanticize your home and your relationship with it. Thank it for being there for you in so many ways, and relish in it the way only an introvert can.

My fellow introverts, are there any reasons you’d add to the list? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

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