Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We just retired and I find I'm missing the mental stimulation of my job. It really kept me on my mental toes. I have to find something to replace that. Trying to learn Spanish helps, and everything about navigating a foreign country.
We're both happy alone or with each other, but do enjoy outings when suggested by friends. I tend to be cynical and see the "dark side", so it helps to get out of my own circling-the-drain mindset.
I don't have the hobbies I used to have, so I miss that and am searching for replacements.
I once read 70% of the population needs external stimulation (need to be with others) or have to be going out
and cant stand being alone/by themselves
30% are content with themselves and actually like some alone time
I think that is basically correct but I don't see it as a dichotomy (an either/or). I think it's more like a continuum. People who can't stand being alone are at one extreme (one end of the continuum), while people who can't stand being around other people are at the other extreme end of the continuum.
Most of us fall somewhere in between. I like, enjoy, and need some alone time, but if that's all I had I would go crazy. I also like contact with other people and I enjoy getting out and doing a variety of interesting things. So it's a question of proportion - how much alone time versus how much social time? We all have our comfort zones, which seem to be part of our genetic inheritance.
I enjoy my alone time, especially after work where I interact with people all day long and just need to decompress. However, I can only take so much of that. Sometimes I don't want to be sitting here with just my thoughts to keep me company and I have to get out and about. I prefer to do this one-on one or in small groups where I know the people well. If I were in a position where I had to schmooze with people (like at a mixer), I dread it.
Still not really sure what is being discussed, but for best results stay mentally and physically active as it pays off in the end. Using white noise and physical activity in place of mental activity, thinking, will come to haunt you in later years. Sadly, escaping one's challenges rather than facing them has become all too popular.
Sometimes I miss the split second critical thinking that my job demanded, but with that comes a high level of stress as well. I think ice skating, a swim, and game night with our friends on Monday's is infinitely more fun then working in a high octane, high stress job. My visits to the political forum here are stimulating enough these days. There are so many levels to explore and research. I think I may be busy for a long long time.
Same as you. But if you don't have to go out every day, you don't have to go to school or work?...I'm a homebody anyway and I enjoy staying home, where it's peaceful and quiet.
I can enjoy staying at home just as much as going out. I haven't worked outside of the home in the last 3 yrs, so I have some freedom, but I definitely know how it feels to work outside the house...did it for 21 yrs of my life since 18.
Quote:
Originally Posted by swgirl926
I enjoy my alone time, especially after work where I interact with people all day long and just need to decompress. However, I can only take so much of that. Sometimes I don't want to be sitting here with just my thoughts to keep me company and I have to get out and about. I prefer to do this one-on one or in small groups where I know the people well. If I were in a position where I had to schmooze with people (like at a mixer), I dread it.
I'm like this too. After 2 days in a row of being at home, I get a little stir crazy & need to get out, even if it's just to walk the mall. When I do go out, I like spending time w/ my fiance' or mom the best. Then, my gal pal one-on-one. I've never been part of a group of friends in my life.
I'm an extroverted introvert, who practices a lot of mindfulness. I never have a problem talking to people or making friends, wherever I go..but I also enjoy my "me" time. I often just go down to the beach and chill and watch the sunset. I read meditations nightly. I go for walks and just observe the world, by myself. I also have a few just "fun" books in rotation and I keep silly things like Words with Friends going. I also color
However, I also go out to brunch with my friends, spin classes, pilates classes, dinners, movies. I like to think I have a good mix.
I once read 70% of the population needs external stimulation (need to be with others) or have to be going out
and cant stand being alone/by themselves
30% are content with themselves and actually like some alone time
I prefer to be alone overall - I think too much sometimes. Most of us need a fare balance of alone time vs. being with others, and depending on where you are in your life, that's a very difficult balance to achieve.
I believe I am mentally active and have been for a long time. My inward thoughts are usually on topics such as current events, geopolitical hegemony, demographic shifts, foreign languages, history, etymology, philately, art, geography, genealogy and other such things that most people generally do not really like to talk about at length. My personal interests are usually drawn to those of academics, but yet I don't work in an area where such thought is embraced. And to be more social, I definitely limit politics as a topic with casual acquaintances.
So with all that in mind, I find very few people who like to talk about such subjects at length that interest me. I keep most of my thoughts to myself - maybe I should write them out before I forget some of them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
