[cjpb]

You raise some good points.

I also believe personality types play a large part, for example I'm an introvert, and while spending time with others makes me happy - that can easily be negated if I spend too much time with others or don't have a chance to come up for air (e.g. some alone time).

Not to mention the personality types of others as well. I have introverted friends whom I can quite happily spend weeks at a time with (low energy, deep conversations, no awkwardness with silence), and on the other end of the scale there are friends who are extremely extroverted whom I cannot spend more than several hours with (high energy, shallow and constant changing of topics being discussed, a feeling of awkwardness when there is silence).

[yuhe00]

I'm also an introvert. I get exhausted when spending a lot of time with other people. One thing I've noticed though is that when I do spend time with people, I prefer getting to know new people rather than hanging out with people I already know. I guess this is some subtype within introverts, because the "stereotype" is that introverts have a few close friends - Instead I have lots of shallow relationships and I am terrible at keeping close friends because I never spend time with them...

[jchw]

I agree, being introverted definitely seems to impact the amount of time you want to spend with others, though I am maybe somewhat different in my preferences. I absolutely enjoy spending time with people, but even spending time with other introverted folks can be tiring for me, because sometimes I just want to sit in a quiet room completely alone. (Many of my other, also very introverted friends, disagree and can spend nearly all of their time with like-minded people. Which can be a little awkward.)

[chantelles]

Yep. Though I am gregarious, I grew up very isolated with very little interaction even with parents and my biggest problem as an adult is remembering to make time alone for myself because if I do not I grow less patient with people around me. But I also know that many people need to always be with people and I wonder: am I a result of a strange/bad upbringing? So I have committed to spending time with people but there is nothing I love more than a week totally alone and my happiest memories are months where I lived completely alone. One trick for balance: living in countries where I do not speak the language is an excellent way to be around people but have peace.

[agent008t]

Have you tried going over to countries where you cannot even read the language? E.g. Korea, Japan? I found the experience very refreshing and surreal in a good way.

[chantelles]

Yep. In Russia - now I can read the letters but only with concentration. I want to spend more time in Asia. It really helps me notice the space reading takes up in my seeing and also, how important wonder is in fun. I spend so much time wondering what food I am buying, what is behind that door, what those people are protesting etc and that energy is like ... embers for creativity and makes it easier for me to admit that even when I can read it all, understand it all, I still really don't know anything much.