Out? Seriously?

Yesterday morning, I took the Myers-Briggs test in connection with a workshop I'm participating in.  I've taken it a couple of times before, but the last time was between twenty and thirty years ago.  If you're not familiar with it, this test gives you a series of statements and you're asked to assign a number for how like you that statement is.  Your results then place your preferences along four sets of contrasting pairs of qualities and results in a four-letter description.  (ENFJ, for example).  You can then look up a description of that personality type and get advice on all sorts of things, depending on what the particular version of the test was intended to accomplish.

One set of questions is intended to establish whether one tends towards extroversion or introversion.  I was startled as I answered the questions to realize that my responses were different than they would have been a few years ago.  I've always tended more towards introversion, but this tendency is much more pronounced than it once was. My belief is that this increased level of introversion results from things I've experienced in my life.  I do see diabetes as one of these things that's changed me in this way, but not in my case a major influence.

Do I see this change in me as a good thing?  Well, it's a mixed bag.  I'm more tolerant than I once was, which is good, and I see myself as more compassionate and considerate of the feelings of others. I'm more conflict-averse, which can be both good and bad. I'm also more risk-averse, which is more clearly regrettable.  It's pretty clear, though, that I really ought to get out more.  

In most ways, I don't mind being the way I am.  There's a very nice woman at work who arranges monthly birthday recognitions.  We have goodies, we sing, and she makes fun hats for the honorees.  She can't believe that I won't provide the date of my birthday, but I have NO desire to be sung to while wearing a fun hat. I'm perfectly comfortable with that stance. :)

I'm not entirely isolated, of course: I do have a few close friends that I get together with fairly regularly, and the diabetes online community helps me to feel connected.  But I suppose it wouldn't KILL me to get out once in a while.  :)