“I’m an introvert… I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky.”
More quotes attributed to Audrey Hepburn:
“I don’t want to be alone, I want to be left alone.”
“I have to be alone very often. I’d be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That’s how I refuel.”
She is among many creative people listed by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D., M.F.T. as “Famous Introverts.”
Introversion shares many qualities with the personality trait of high sensitivity.
In an interview with Dr. John Sheehan for the Mensa Education and Research Foundation, “Understanding and Appreciating Introverted Advantages,” Dr. Laney talks about the trait of high sensitivity, as well as shyness.
Hear an audio clip in the article: Marti Olsen Laney on Introversion Advantages.
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Excerpts from A toast to Audrey Hepburn, by Susan King, The Los Angeles Times Oct 22 2009:
‘Robert Wagner (who appeared with Hepburn in the 1987 TV movie “Love Among Thieves”) said: “She was in the moment – always.
“Those close-ups of her when she looks and you see into her eyes, there is no diffusion.
“You are looking into her soul and spirit.
“She had a great soul and she had great spirit of life.”
‘Peter Bogdanovich, who directed Hepburn in “They All Laughed,” found her to be “absolutely real.
“I mean, she looked in the other actors’ eyes and told the truth. She had a kind of purity and saintliness.
“The amazing thing about Audrey I found from working with her is that she was a very vulnerable person and very fragile emotionally.
“She was completely professional and she managed to somehow take that vulnerability and sensitivity and marshal it into something she can work with and convey on the screen.”‘
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Shyness, and the traits of introversion and high sensitivity can overlap and interact, and we may experience all three.
See more in my article: Shyness, Introversion, Sensitivity – What’s the Difference?
For more on the personality trait of high sensitivity, see my Highly Sensitive site (has link to Dr. Elaine Aron’s self-test for high sensitivity).
Also see Highly Sensitive / Pinterest
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Books and resources for thriving as an introvert and highly sensitive person:
Julie Bjelland is a licensed psychotherapist, global HSP consultant, and empowerment coach.
“My passion is in neuropsychology and determining how to successfully train the brain so people can live their best lives.
“I specialize in the trait of high sensitivity and have helped thousands of highly sensitive people around the world.
“As an HSP myself, I understand what it is like to live with high sensitivity and strong emotions.”
She is author of these two books:
“I highly recommend that highly sensitive people read Julie Bjelland’s book, “Brain Training for the Highly Sensitive Person”.
“This thorough and well-researched book contains many techniques to help transform the HSP’s life.
“Even if the student implements only a portion of the many practical and innovative methods that are presented in the book for calming the sensitive nervous system, the HSP will live a happier, more tranquil and productive life.”
From review by Ted Zeff, Ph.D., author of books including The Power of Sensitivity.
Another testimonial: “Julie’s book Brain Training for the Highly Sensitive Person is a valuable support in opening to the challenges and potentials that come with high-level sensitivity.” – Tara Brach, PhD
The Empowered Highly Sensitive Person – How To Harness Sensitivity Into Strength In A Chaotic World
From the book page:
Many Highly Sensitive People find our chaotic, modern world very challenging. You might often feel misunderstood, have high-stress levels and are overwhelmed a lot.
Do You…
Feel everything deeply and have a hard time balancing everything you have to do in your life?
Find your thoughts spinning making it hard to relax and sleep? Does it sometimes feel like your brain has too many tabs open?
Have a harsh inner critic harsh because you feel flawed or not good enough sometimes?
See more details on the page. One of the testimonials:
“The new tools I learned to use are helping me feel better and less overwhelmed at home and at work, I learned to take care of myself instead of being at the bottom of my priority list and this makes a huge difference in my energy levels. Thank you Julie from the bottom of my heart.” — MARTA IN FINLAND
(Both of the links above go to her site, where you can find her blog and other resources.)
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Creativity professor and author KH Kim writes about being inner-directed:
“Having the self-reflective attitude means enjoying solitude to understand the essence of individuals’ own and others’ experiences and views.
“It starts with enjoying time alone to work on goals, and it is facilitated by connecting with nature.
“It helps them be objective about their feelings and make their own choices autonomously.
But, she warns, “self-reflective individuals might seem ‘withdrawn’ to some people.”
From her book The Creativity Challenge: How We Can Recapture American Innovation.
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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain.
Elaine Aron, PhD comments that Cain’s very popular book “is actually more about HSPs (highly sensitive people) than social introverts” and “her discussion of ‘introversion’ throughout is almost identical to what has become the standard definition of high sensitivity.”
– From my article Creative Thinking and Being Introverted or Highly Sensitive, which includes a video of Cain.
Elaine Aron, PhD is author of the book The Highly Sensitive Person.
> See more books, articles etc:
Books, Products and Programs for Highly Sensitive People
Articles:
Shy or Introverted or Highly Sensitive in the Arts.
Jessica Chastain and High Sensitivity
Understanding the Highly Sensitivity Person: Sensitive, Introverted, or Both? – Extraverted HSPs face unique challenges. by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.
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* Note – Links to programs and products may be affiliate links, which means a company or publisher provides a small commission to me (paid by them, at no cost to you) if you decide to purchase. This helps support my efforts in creating the free content you read here and on my other sites, plus helps pay for costs such as website hosting. As an Amazon Associate, and an affiliate representing some other companies such as Sounds True, as well as a few coaches and psychologists, I provide links to products and programs that may be helpful to creative people. Thanks for visiting.
