by Deborah Coshun

Created on: June 13, 2009   Last Updated: June 15, 2009

Surviving as an introvert in an extrovert's world is worth the effort. I have always been the introvert type preferring my alone time, quiet music and books. It's funny that as an introvert that my life has been filled with so many extrovert friends. I guess it's that side of an extrovert that must seemingly meet everyone that always draws them to us quiet ones.

There are times when I will feel like hiding from all these extroverts but find that I can't because they are some of the most loving and giving people in my life that care deeply for me. I lived alone for several years before I married my husband and dating him was a challenge because he was so out going, never met a stranger and just loved life to the fullest. You're probably wondering why I married someone so different from me and the answer is simple, he is the kindest and most loving person that I have ever known. It has been almost twenty years now and I don't regret the uniting in marriage with this outrageous extrovert but consider myself more blessed every year.

The reality of livng in a permanent relationship with such an extreme extrovert became a challenge that I was determined to conquer and or at least learn to make some compromises. This changes and compromises forever changed my life! I never gave parties prior to this relationship so the idea of throwing parties terrified me! This was especially terrifying in the beginning because I usually found out about the party we were having that weekend when the other wives called to ask what they could bring for the party! I did break him of that bad habit or I'm not sure I would have survived. How did I survive the constant influx of friends and parties (usually celebrating our favorite football team, University of Florida Gators)?

I survived by listening to my extrovert sister and taking some advice from her and now I'm going to pass this on to you and hope you will take it to heart. As an introvert part of my fears about the parties was having everything perfect and entertaining the guests but my sister asked me an important question. She sat down with me and asked me if these were friends that we were inviting over to our home and I answered yes. The next thing she said to me stuck with me as she told me that if these were friends they wouldn't care if my home was perfect, my food good or bad and they knew me well enough to know that I wasn't a talker or entertainer. I took that information to heart and after

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