If you're an introvert like me (i.e. you get your energy primarily from being by yourself or in low-stimulation environments), you live with the daily blessing of a continual pursuit of quiet space.

The one little complication though is that you and I live in the world.

And that means traffic, meetings, Church, parties, etc. In other words- life! A friend of mine said, after reflecting on a particularly busy week, "I think I might do better as a monk!"

But let's say that becoming a monk isn't possible for you, what do you do? As I see it, you have two options: a) hide from the world (not recommended) or b) learn to navigate it through the lens of your introversion.

In the next few blog posts, I'll be unpacking introversion and its subtleties. For now, here's a quick secret that I've employed that really helps: arrive early.

By arriving early for your next event (church, a meeting, a commitment, etc.), you can scope out the environment, get better parking, get better seating and "take the edge off" a situation that will be stressful.

Try it.

For introverts, arriving early works like a charm. For extroverts who can sometimes fly by the seat of their pants, it's useful as well.

Arrive early.