How to Obtain a Healthy Lifestyle as an Extrovert

As an extrovert, your will to do more will often overpower your need for self-care. As such, it’s vital that you:

• Learn to say no
• Replenish your energy by getting out into nature
• Go to bed before your second wind kicks in!

On the surface, extroverts seem to have it all: an energetic personality type that thrives when busy and engaged in social interactions.

In fact, extroversion comes with its own set of pitfalls. I should know, I’ve burned the candle at both ends and felt the strain that constantly getting after it takes on your mental health and physical well-being.

If you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, but you also feel like you’re fit to drop, I’ve got three life-changing tips for you that’ll help you find a healthy balance.

What is Extrovert Energy?

While introverts often know about their preferences for peace and calm, extroverts can often be too busy to even think about what drives them and where their energy comes from.

If you’re an extrovert, you’ll usually find that things start with you. Are you the person who’s organizing, energizing, and generally getting things moving? Perhaps you feel like an unproductive day is a day wasted? Do you begin each day eager to engage with the world and achieve?

If the answer to any of these questions is a yes, then there’s a good chance you’re an extrovert. What’s more, there’s a good chance you also burn more than your fair share of energy too!

Health Side Effects of Being an Extrovert

A person’s energy is finite. Now, extroverts might feel energized when they’re out and engaging with the world – but that doesn’t mean you won’t run out of fuel sooner or later.

This is exactly what happened to me. I was of the mindset that I could accomplish a lot without really ever stopping to take a breath, but I wasn’t aware that this feeling came with physical side effects.

Adrenal fatigue is a big problem for extroverts. It’s an umbrella term that covers a range of issues that come when we’re simply doing too much. Aches, anxieties, sleep disturbances, a weakened immune system, and even digestive problems can all sneak up on you if you’re an extrovert that never seems to stop.

A functional medicine doctor summed things up perfectly for me; she said, “You’re out of firewood – now, you’re burning the furniture!” It was a great way of describing something many of us extroverts experience; our core stable life force energy becomes so depleted we start running on the energy we need to stay alive and keep our bodies healthy.

So, what does this behavior look like in day-to-day life? Perhaps we stay up later than we should to get things done? Sometimes we overeat in an effort to keep those energy levels up? Maybe we neglect to eat all altogether simply because we’re too busy? Life gets out of balance, healthy living goes out of the window, and when it does, we become more prone to infections, injuries, and even poor mental health.

Types of Extrovert

While there are some personality traits and behaviors that run through all extroverted people, it’s not fair to assume we’re all exactly the same. In fact, there tend to be two distinct types of extrovert, bubbly extroverts and determined extroverts.

Bubbly extroverts tend to be the life of the party and are at their best in the company of others. These things often come at a cost though, with bubbly extroverts often guilty of overlooking their physical needs and saying “yes” a little too often – even if their schedule is already full.

Determined extroverts are little different however. If you’ve got this determined energy flowing through you, you’ll tend to always have a focus on accomplishing more and more. If you find yourself getting up earlier and earlier to make a dent in that to-do list, you might fall into this category.

3 Tips on How to Create a Healthy Lifestyle as an Extrovert

When I was burning the candle at both ends and draining the life force right out of me, I knew something had to give.

Chances are, something is going to have to give for you too. Hopefully, at this stage, you can still choose to ease off a little, because if you don’t and you keep your foot hard on the gas, it’s likely to be your health that gives way.

These are my 3 tips that’ll help you regain some balance and start to recharge your batteries:

Learn to Say No

Saying “no” probably isn’t something that comes easily for you. You might worry that turning down an invitation or a request to deliver just a little more work will show you up as being no fun or even lazy – but I can assure you that it won’t.

People are rarely offended by no. They might be surprised, but not offended.

Think of it this way. Every time you say “yes” to doing something more, you’re saying “no” to looking after yourself.

Try to become comfortable with saying no when you feel like you need a break. You don’t have to be abrupt; you can simply say “I’m not going to be able to do that” and move the conversation on. Try to avoid excuses too – they weaken the message and encourage people to find ways around problems to help you.

Remember though, no applies to you too! Sometimes, we long to say yes, but if your energy levels are low, it’s far better to have some alone time so you can approach tomorrow with properly renewed energy.

Get Outdoors

When your energy levels are out of balance, it makes a lot of sense to go somewhere that maintains a perfect balance. 

Now, you determined extroverts might need to reign yourselves in a little here! There’s no need to take on an all-day hike, just think about what nature offers near to you. Spend some time in woodlands, by a river, or just away from the hustle and bustle of life for a while.

Nature has an incredible ability to revitalize your chi and breathe energy back into you.

Go to Bed Before Your Second Wind

I used to think that having a second wind in the evening time was a real superpower, but in actual fact, it’s a huge energy drain for many of us.

If you’re not careful, your natural circadian rhythm will pick back up again after a period of tiredness. This might feel useful at the time, but it often results in lethargy, mood swings, and a host of other symptoms the following day.

Try to listen to your body when it’s evening time. Aim to go to bed when you first feel tired. Sure, this might mean that you need to adjust your family’s routine a little. It might even mean you need to adjust the time you spend in front of a screen or get used to leaving tasks half done, but I can assure you, your productivity and energy levels will be up the following day as a result.

The result?

Just because extroverts bring energy to the world, it doesn’t mean we have an endless supply of it.

There’s a big difference between your energy and effectiveness when you’re working from a place of health, compared to that when you’re fighting against physical ailments and just trying to keep going.

When you start to think about the energy you give in terms of quality and not quantity, you’ll find time to recharge your batteries and be able to take on life on your terms again.

If you feel like you’re doing too much but you can’t break out of the cycle, I’ve opened up a free 14 day trial at the Carol Tuttle Healing Center just for you. Get over there now and explore the “physical” category – I promise you that just a couple of small changes to a few extrovert habits have the potential to transform your life.