What are the things that give us comfort? Tea or coffee, biscuit or scone, books or films? A pet by one’s side or on the lap? For most introverts, we have certain routines & patterns, which include particular surrounding environments that provide us a sense of safety in its familiarity. Blankets, pillows, candlelight or hearth, thick socks or warm slippers, we curate our habitats to reflect our aesthetic & quirky preferences in a kind of chrysalis in which we cocoon.

For me, blankets are pretty essential for creating that feeling of home, a cozy den where I can curl up & relax.

The warmth & softness wrap around me, as my head sinks into a downy pillow. For a long time as a teen I had an old-fashioned feather bed, filled with actual goose feathers, which I absolutely loved because it reminded me of the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I remembered the scenes she described in her books with detail, the bedding days where the ticking on all the family’s beds needed to be replaced with fresh hay.

Of course, now as an adult, I wax puzzled by the thought that prickly hay could have been comfortable at all as bedding? Especially with all of the spiky splinters that could easily poke through the covering. I suppose I may be spoiled by modern convenience.

Dozing animals also can help provide a visualization of contentment that for empaths can be powerful. To that point, I recently read an article that discussed newer research supporting the claim that yawning after seeing someone else yawn is a sign of empathy, a visual cue of identifying with the original yawner. If that’s the case, then our furry friends can provide to intuitive, introverted empaths subtle transmissions of calm simply by relaxing near us. Research also has substantiated that simply owning cats can extend a human’s lifespan, as petting reduces stress & purring can gently soothe the heart.

Clearly, the link between petting a cat’s soft fur & improved human wellness can be a powerful one. But I imagine this can hold for some of our dogs as well, especially as they more often seek out eye contact with humans & understand their facial expressions quite well.

When my cats stretch out beside me, looking at me with half-lidded eyes & quietly purring with extended paws, I can feel the tension in my body start to dissipate, slowly leaving my body with each exhalation. Perhaps that’s why so many people love the #caturday hashtag? There’s just something about a lazy, slow Saturday spent with napping & cuddling cats. Their supine positions, particularly when simultaneously sleeping & stretching in a soporific state, encourage lounging for recharging our internal batteries.

It’s as if they give us permission to make time for self-care. What a tremendous gift to give to humans.

And then there are the mugs & cups we introverts collect to warm the cockles of our hearts. We enjoy feeling the flow of heat into our hands & into our bodies as we consume the hot beverages they hold. For me, I do splurge on special handmade ceramic mugs with lovely glazes, vessels that have heft & weight to them. I like cupping my hands around them, as they conduct heat well & at the right temperature so that it’s not too hot to burn the hands but not too cool to make the beverage an unpleasant one to drink. Over time, I’ve assembled an array of favorite things around me, which is most likely why I prefer cocooning when I have downtime after a long week.

Fellow introverts, writers, creators, how have you created a special space for cocooning? What are the key elements that allow you to relax & recharge in your own cocoon?