When I was preparing our home for Phoebe’s birthday party, I learned something eye-opening about my INFP personality type. The morning of a party, I always have anxiety, but not the type I always thought.
You see, I grew up in a structured and tidy home that was always presentable to guests. I’d always assumed my “party anxiety” was about presenting my guests with a perfectly hosted experience (aka: an experience like the one my mother would offer); however, that is not it at all!! I don’t care if my home, or anyone else’s home, is tidy or not…in fact, I find myself more at ease when there is a small to moderate amount of mess.
The reason I get anxious before a gathering is because I am an introvert. No matter how much I love hosting my friends, large groups make me extremely anxious. In this case, “large” meant 4 extra adults and 6 extra kids. HAHA!!! A much smaller crowd than Phoebe’s party last year, when our home was bursting at the seams with two dozen extra people. (more…)