Introverts and extroverts respond to stimulation and relax in different ways: introverts are generally less comfortable in larger groups, and need to recharge our batteries by spending time alone. But the nature of our socially driven world means that we either feel excluded from many social activities that require us to talk to too many people at once, or reluctantly oblige to adapt, which can be very draining.



I’m an introvert who enjoys socializing, and living in a city offers plenty of new and exciting ways to do so. But many events involve a rapid frenzy of small talk with large groups of strangers, which is enough to make me want to sleep for three days straight. And it’s not just in our social lives: employers often place an emphasis on weekly group lunches and after-work drinks. Thank God I’m in a relationship because the idea of speed-dating is enough turn me off from dating for ever.



Finally people are realizing that there is no reason for introverts to be side-lined – and that there’s money in catering exclusively to us. A Los Angeles-based company is offering the first group travel program designed for introverts, in which travelers can enjoy alone time in their own rooms in between socializing – so we no longer have to shudder at the thought of spending every waking, and sleeping, moment with a group of strangers.

Founder Lisa Avebury is a travel-loving introvert, but didn’t like how the group travel industry was catered to extroverts. She decided to offer holidays in which introverts “will feel supported and uplifted”. I’m sure I’m not the only introvert tempted by this. The thought of traveling alone may feel too daunting for some, so it’s nice to finally see an in-between option that doesn’t require you to expend all your energy constantly socializing while you travel.

For those a little less adventurous, there’s the recently invented introvert emojis to offer an “easier visual way to tell a loved one you need more time and space”. The designer and introvert behind them, Rebecca Lynch, often felt like she needed to communicate needs or feelings with emojis that didn’t exist. Her “introjis” include emoticons for social anxiety, and the need to spend time alone.

Then there’s the heavenly-sounding Silent Reading Party, launched in 2010, an increasingly popular event in which people read in the company of others without any obligation to talk to each other. Three staffers from Seattle’s The Stranger newspaper enjoyed doing just this, so they decided to make it an official event.



Offering the chance to indulge in a solitary activity without feeling too shut off from the rest of the world is exactly what we introverts need. No wonder the parties have spread to New York, Chicago, Edinburgh and London.

Susan Cain, the author of Quiet, a New York Times bestselling book about the power of introverts, has long been arguing for the world to adapt to our needs. Cain started the Quiet Revolution, a start-up aimed at empowering introverts “for the benefit of us all”. This will include helping companies “train the next generation of quiet leaders” by “drawing on their natural strengths instead of asking them to turn into extroverts”.

She has also been working to tackling the dreaded open-plan office by encouraging the introduction of quiet spaces where employees can take a break from the over-stimulation of open offices, or just work without being disturbed. I know an area like that would be a lifesaver for me. For those of us prefer to think and work alone, not being able to do so can make work twice as tiring.

These are all small developments, but together they can help us progress towards a world that equally caters for introverts. Many of us who struggle to keep up with the pressures and demands of our loud, outgoing society, choose to withdraw instead. That all may change with the rise of a more introvert-friendly culture – it may be a silent victory, but it will be an important one nonetheless.