How an Introvert Survives the Craziness of Life

Saturday, February 11, 2017


Life is crazy, y'all. 

That's nothing new. Almost every time that I talk to someone, the conversation goes something like this-

"Hey! How are you?"

"TIRED. And I have to go take three tests and write four essays and pack for my trip to Timbuktu and read War and Peace and clean out my entire house and memorize the dictionary."

*cue me slowly backing away awkwardly*
---

I can't say that I blame them, though. I can relate. I sound the exact same way, tbh. The fact that I haven't posted here in ten days is enough to tell you that life is starting to swallow me a bit. This weekend is being spent cramming as much as possible in, because I'm going to be spending around fifty hours next week at the theater, and it's basically going to consume my life. 

In fact, I'm not even sure if this post is going to be coherent, but I'm determined to get something out so that you guys don't think that I'm dead or something. So we're just going to go with it and hope that this most makes some inkling of sense. 

I am an introvert. Apparently in public situations, I can come off as an extrovert, but trust me- I'm not. As my best friend put it when someone was shocked that I was an introvert, "If it were up to her, Grace Anne would probably never leave her house again." That, my friends, is a very accurate statement. 

So when life gets to the crazy point where my to-do list is growing a mile a minute and I feel like my house is just somewhere that I get to visit every night, it can be kind of extremely overwhelming. My introverted self just wants to curl up in my room and close the door and not come out for three days. It gets to the point where I physically feel so anxious at the thought of something else to do. It's bad. 

But lately, I've been thinking about something. With all of the craziness that we experience- we only get these experiences once. This moment that you're in right now- all of the stress, all of the anxiety, all of the millions of things that you have to do- you're only going to experience this once. You can't go back. And even in all of the things that you might not love, there are always great things. You just have to look a little harder to find them sometimes. 

I'll be honest with you. I was not looking forward to yesterday. I had a three hour rehearsal first thing in the morning, and then I had another two hour rehearsal a few hours later. My mind was swimming with all of the things that I had to do to get ready for this upcoming week, and all I really wanted to do was stay home and get things done. 

But yesterday was a good day. And I was so, so happy. On the drive home, the sky was painted with every color imaginable. It was streaked with pinks and purples and oranges, and they faded into the deepest blue, surrounding a gorgeous, clear moon. We went to Krispy Kreme and picked up Valentine's Day doughnuts, and the workers were nice and smiled and gave us doughnuts with tons of sprinkles. And then these girls came in the shop and gave the employees Valentines, and the employees were really happy and gave them doughnuts, and we just watched one act of kindness after another. I was happy because even though those five hours of rehearsing were exhausting, I loved them. Those hours spent breathing in the smell of old wood, spent dancing and flying through the air and trusting the fact that I'm not going to fall. Hours spent watching a show finally start to come together, and letting the epic music pulse through my veins and make my heart feel like it's about to burst. Coming home and deciding that I was just going to breathe, and spending the evening curled up with flatbreads and a movie. Sitting alone in my room at midnight, the room illuminate by my fairy lights, and reading 2 Corinthians. And just being happy. 

Every day isn't going to be perfect, or even filled with quite as many beautiful little things as yesterday was. But good things are there, even when you have to look a little harder for them. A funny conversation. A smile. A Pinterest quote. A random text that brightens your mood. A piece of chocolate. A flower. A sunset. 

Find them. 

Because they're the best way for an introvert to survive the craziness of life. 

22 comments:

  1. Grace, thank you for being /you/. You are such a beautiful soul, one who is determined to LIVE. Thank you for inspiring me as well!

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    1. Thank you so much for your sweet words, Hannah. /You/ are such an encouragement to me. I love you so much. ♥

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  2. AAASDFGHJKL JUST YES YES TO IT ALL!!!

    I have such a hard time dealing with stress and just living in the moment and enjoying life //right now//. But i think this past week it clicked. And I'm so happy about that.

    Thank you for this post and GOOD LUCK THIS WEEK I'LL BE PRAYING FOR YOU!! <33

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    1. It's so hard to do, especially when life is stressful. But I am so happy that it clicked for you. ♥

      I LOVE YOU! HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!! I'll be praying for you, too ♥♥♥

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  3. I just love this post. I can really relate. Thank you for this!

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  4. This is amazing! I loved this post so much! It's so true how life can get busy and overwhelming but you have to look at your busy life differently and appreciate moments like the one in the donut shop.

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    1. Thank you so much, Vanessa! I am so happy that you enjoyed it. ♥ It's so true- the smaller moment really make you think about life.

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  5. Love this sweet friend.
    Rehearsals and shows and school and rehearsals and friends and sleep...oh wait. What's that again? I FEEL YA SISTER!
    keep lookin at the sky and eating doughnuts <3

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  6. GRACE ANNE. I LOVE THIS AND I NEEDED THIS AND OH MAN, WAS IT RELATABLE. <3 hope you have a great coming week, girl! :)

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    1. :') THANK YOU SO MUCH, KATE!!!! ♥♥♥ I hope that your week is wonderful!

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  7. Grace Anne, this is so so beautiful. I have so many thoughts about this post, wow.

    First, "TIRED. And I have to go take three tests and write four essays and pack for my trip to Timbuktu and read War and Peace and clean out my entire house and memorize the dictionary" <--This is literally me every time. EVERY. TIME. SOMEONE. ASKS.

    I hear you so much on the busy life, man. It's getting to spring, which means end-of-year projects, science competitions, and lots of music. And time? Heh, let's just imagine it exists.

    Also, I just needed this post. It was beautiful.

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    1. Oh my goodness, Hanne, thank you so much. :') That means so much to me.

      RIGHT?? I do the same thing!!

      Spring is so busy, and time seems to disappear completely. It's crazy.

      Thank you so much for your sweet words. They mean the world. ♥

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  8. This is so true. Thanks for sharing :)

    Ellie
    www.uniquelyyou1.blogspot.com

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  9. This is such a beautiful post! I feel so much the same way, so thank you for the encouragement! I've been blessed lately to be able to look for and see some of those little things that brighten the day and remind you that God is so good.

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    1. Wow, thank you so much, Katherine! The little things really are so important- it's so cool how God will put those little things in life to make our days brighter and bless us! ♥

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  10. I FEEL THIS ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL. Although I never get mistaken for an extrovert because I like barely speak and look vaguely annoyed with the world 25/8 *nervous laughter* BUT I UNDERSTAND THE INTROVERT STRUGGLE. There is nothing quite like the beauty of locking oneself in one's room for three days. :') But seriously the way you cope with the crazy busy-ness of life and notice all the little everyday gems....I ADMIRE YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT (and for a lot of things because you're awesome ok) because I need some lessons in appreciating the moment. THEREFORE I NEEDED THIS POST THANK YOU FOR IT.

    lotsalove,
    abbieeeeeee

    p.s. you got Valentine's Day doughnuts from Krispy Kreme ok ima go cry now plz send me some <3333333333

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    1. "because I like barely speak and look vaguely annoyed with the world 25/8 *nervous laughter*" << BUT SEE THAT'S ME TOO AND I'M SO CONFUSED XD Apparently I'm just very focused? But it comes off as angry all the time ahahahaha.

      Locking oneself in a room for three days is just bliss :')

      OH MY GOODNESS THANK YOU SO MUCH ABBIE YOU ARE THE SWEETEST. ♥♥ You bless me so much, girl.

      um please come to the south and we will get tons of doughnuts and it will be great. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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