This. What you're describing is freedom from needing to have people around. I've found that as I spend far less time with people, I am much more attentive, pat

This. What you're describing is freedom from needing to have people around. I've found that as I spend far less time with people, I am much more attentive, patient and kind when I do spend time with them, especially when it's with people I choose to be around. I get time to reflect on things too, because there's enough space in-between to go 'oh, I was starting to get agitated when this happened, that's interesting'. With strangers, it's a different vibe too, because it's fun to see what they'll do. I don't have a perpetual self-defense shield up, because I'm not emotionally destabilized from over-stimulation - from interactions I'm forced to be in. So yeah, it's great to be able to choose :)