quiet-the-power-of-introverts-in-a-world-that-cant-stop-talking-susan-cain

knows it. When she arrives at a party,
Sally often wishes she could hide behind
the nearest couch—until her prefrontal
cortex takes over and she remembers
what a good conversationalist
she is. Even so, her amygdala, with its
lifetime of stored associations between
strangers and anxiety, sometimes prevails.
Sally admits that sometimes she
drives an hour to a party and then
leaves five minutes after arriving.
When I think of my own experiences
in light of Schwartz’s findings, I realize
it’s not true that I’m no longer shy; I’ve
just learned to talk myself down from
the ledge (thank you, prefrontal cortex!).
By now I do it so automatically
that I’m hardly aware it’s happening.
When I talk with a stranger or a group
of people, my smile is bright and my
manner direct, but there’s a split
second that feels like I’m stepping onto
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