In my article on why I'm getting tired of pro introvert articles I stated my qualms about the rise of introvert-heavy media over the last few years.

So, I decided now to remedy that by sharing some of my advice on how to channel your inner introvert.

Why You Should Tap Into Your Introverted Side

Now, if you already consider yourself an introvert, then you probably don't need advice on how to be introverted, but you may still find these exercises useful because in western society many introverted qualities have been "attacked" in a way, so many introverts may have lost some of their introverted ways.

And if you are an extrovert, then the realm of introversion may be a bit foreign or frightening to you, but fear not! Even the most hardcore extroverts can still summon some introverted powers and take advantage.

And of course you are thinking, "why on earth would I want to be introverted?"

There are no doubt a plethora of sources out there for becoming more extroverted, outgoing, etc., but far fewer people would like to be more reserved, and I think that's a shame. Sure, society places a lot of importance on being social, having lots of friends, and being able to work effectively in groups, but there are a lot of perks to introversion as well.

What are some of these perks of introversion? Well, a quick list I can think of:

• Necessity: you won't always be surrounded by people every moment of your life, so it's best to learn how to be comfortable when you have to do things like travel alone, work alone, etc.
• Creativity: look at some famous people who were known as being great thinkers, innovators, writers, artists, etc., and no doubt many of them were introverts. One of my favorite examples is Steve Wozniak, who was in my mind the real genius behind Apple, and in his memoir cited his preference for solitude to be the source of his ideas.
• Tolerance: If you are very extroverted then it may be difficult to understand why more introverted people have the preferences that they do. By tapping into your introverted side, you can try to see the world from their eyes, and it may help you (and them) in your interactions together. Now, because scientists have found evidence that introverts and extroverts are indeed "wired" differently in their brains, it will be nearly impossible for an extrovert to completely understand an introvert and vice versa, but you can at least try.
• Abilities and Expertise: This goes along with creativity, but introverts also possess the powers needed to become really good at things. Now, extroverts can become really good at things too, but introverts have a special advantage when it comes to repetitive practice, which I'll explain later.
• Personal Growth: Something I've noticed about older, mature people is that it is harder to tell if they are introverted or extroverted. They seem equally comfortable doing things alone and doing things with a lot of people. They can make small talk with strangers and have deep conversations with close friends. Whether they know it or not, they have the ability to channel introverted and extroverted qualities when the situation calls for it, and it undoubtedly helps them to live a fuller life.

That's just a short list, and there are definitely more reasons that I can't think of at the moment, but hopefully it has convinced you to try to harness your introverted powers. Let's find out how.

Phase 1: "The Cleanse"

You may have heard your health-nut friends refer to doing some sort of "juice cleanse" at some point. The idea of a juice cleanse is to drink nothing but fruit juice and water for something like an entire 24 hour period, and that helps your body purge all the badness inside of it.

I've never tried this, but it sounds kinda neat, and gave me the idea for something else: a "brain cleanse."

Now, this may be a difficult exercise for introverts and extroverts alike, so don't feel bad if you think it is hard.

Here's the idea: sit in a room (preferably in your own home) and make sure there aren't any people or pets around. Now, turn off your phone, turn off the TV, turn off the computer. Free yourself of all these common life distractions, and sit there and think. That's it. Just think. Don't read a book or take a nap. Just think. If you wanna be super hardcore, couple this with a 24 hour fast for some added mental awakening.

You are pretty much subjecting yourself to solitary confinement. This is what prisons do to punish their prisoners.

I think this is probably the most important thing you can do to harness your inner self. These days it is so easy to distract yourself, we have all sorts of gadgets that help us interact with people and clutter our mind with useless information. By doing the simple exercise of sitting alone in a quiet room, you can help cleanse your mind of all these distractions, and you'll find that you have a lot of thoughts, ideas, and emotions stuck inside that were never able to get out because you kept pushing them down.

Do this for as long as you can. Maybe start out with 15 minutes, then go for 30 minutes or even an hour. You don't have to do it all day, just enough to get the idea.

Phase II: The Field Test

If you are feeling pretty good about your ability to sit alone without going berserk, it's time to take things to the next level. Go out and do something that terrifies a lot of people: eat at a restaurant...alone.

For bonus points, don't sit at the bar, sit at a table. It's not easy. You'll probably feel a strong urge to get out your phone and play a game or text or pretend to text the entire time. Resist this urge. Try to observe your surroundings. Play some mental exercises like count the number of waiters or scope all possible exits in the building (think Jason Bourne).

While the first exercise was a challenge in separating yourself from people, this is a challenge in immersing yourself in people, but in a way that you probably don't normally do. It will allow you to be more comfortable when you are alone...but not alone. This comfort will help you if you have anxiety about doing things like travelling alone, and you can transform situations like this from annoyances to personal growth experiences.

Phase III: The Journey

So, you can now sit alone for awhile without people and sit alone for awhile surrounded by people you don't know. The final step in my introvert crash course involves some sort of "spirit quest."

Now, the spirit quest was a rite of passage used in many Native American cultures (or so TV has told me) in which a boy would go off into the wilderness without food and have an enlightening experience, returning as a man. We don't have too many rites of passage in America these days, and that's a shame, but it's no reason that you can't make your own!

Now, you are certainly welcomed to go out into the wilderness alone without food for a few days and do some soul searching, but that could be kind of dangerous, so do it at your own risk (and make sure you do some preparing beforehand). Something a tad easier is to simply go on a day hike alone, preferably on a trail without too many other people. Now, this is still dangerous, and many hiking aficionados don't recommend hiking alone, but if you choose a relatively tame trail and have your wits about you, then you should be fine. I've done it, and I think it is a great way to find yourself. Carry a pocket knife, you may need it.

If you don't feel like exploring the great outdoors, then there are other ways to exercise your new found independence from the chains of the world and its people. Here are a few I thought of:

• Travel alone: exploring a new city on your own can be pretty fun as well as a good way to exercise navigation skills. I took a few day trips to random small cities when I lived in Europe and really enjoyed the experience.
• Drive: simply get in your car and drive. Don't go somewhere familiar, take the road less traveled. Don't use your GPS either, in fact, try to get lost. Remember, when you are lost, you begin to find yourself (and maybe a cool place you never knew about). And if you find yourself in the bad part of town, maybe you'll find it isn't so bad after all (but if it is, keep your windows rolled up and try not to turn into any dead ends). If you don't have a car, get on a bus or train and get off at an unfamiliar stop. Just be careful.
• Learn a new individual skill: try something like painting, music, juggling, crafts, or pretty much anything that involves a lot of dedicated practice and concentration. The alone time you spend while learning these skills will teach you how to harness your inner introvert into something useful. Don't worry if you get frustrated, this isn't something that is supposed to be easy. Just try to be disciplined and keep practicing in spite of any failures.

Conclusion

Being introverted doesn't have to be a bad thing, in fact it can be a great thing and a valuable trait. Natural introverts probably understand the value of being able to do things alone comfortably, but even today many feel a sort of guilt whenever they want to do something by themselves.

If you are a natural extrovert, then you might feel guilty as well if you ever find yourself wanting to do things by yourself, or you might feel like you are "getting old." I'm here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with being introspective, in fact it can be quite enlightening. So take a day every now and then to do some of the things I mentioned. You might not like them at the time, but I think in the long run you will be glad for the experience.

Have any stories of enlightening journeys? I'd love to hear about them!