And here is part two of my introvert articles:
What is it like to be an introvert?
Of course, not every introvert is exactly the same. However, when you wonder what is it like to be an introvert, there are some defining characteristics. Most of us have experienced similar scenarios of social encounters that brought pain from ill-spoken words of others, the enjoyment of being alone with our thoughts, and the need to find a quiet place to revitalize.
Words can never hurt us… Or, can they?
Growing up, introverts are often told to get their head out of the clouds. And, most of us have felt put down or insulted by being referred to as shy, timid, or maybe even called mealy mouthed or worse. Since the thoughts of an introvert naturally turn inward, and words are carefully chosen inside of our heads, these words spoken with a demeaning tone from others can hurt deeply.
Most likely, if you are an introvert, sometimes in your lifetime you have been labeled as “SHY”! And, this probably bothers you, because this term is typically bestowed upon us as an insult to imply that we are fearful, timid creatures incapable of exerting ourselves to reach out to others. When, in fact, this is usually so far from the truth.
We take on the negativity of those around us and can be prone to depression, blaming ourselves that we are not able to meet the social demands that are expected.
Introspection is enjoyable to an introvert.
We thrive on our inward thoughts, and it is these deep pondering philosophical tidbits that bring meaning to and give our lives direction. This introspection is also a source of comfort from the rush and hyperactivity of the outside world that often leaves us feeling as though we have been run over by a truck.
Introverts pick and choose socialization
If an introvert shows up at your social event, feel honored because, to the best of our ability, we will pick and choose which events are too important to miss, and then we will gear up to have enough strength and energy to show up, mingle, maybe make a few connections, and hopefully even enjoy the event. This does not come naturally for us, and it will most likely wear us out. In fact, we are usually not heartbroken at all and find relief when a party is called off at the last minute. Sometimes, we may even reach for an excuse as to why we can’t make it. If we do show up at the gathering, we may begin to feel our energy depleting, so in an attempt to conserve our energy, we may begin to wall off or zone off into our thoughts, and appear standoffish or aloof and uncaring when this is not the reality of how we feel at all.
Our solace of quiet gives us energy
We need to be alone to recharge. It’s as if our bodies are run on a battery that quickly drains when we are forced to interact with others at a high level of energy and exertion. This is not to say we are incapable of socializing. It’s just that when we do socialize to this extent, our energy batteries need to be recharged, because we have given everything we’ve got, often in an attempt to make a deep connection with those who want nothing more than a flighty, “How’s the weather?” or business, climb-the-ladder networking style of conversation that is utterly meaningless or frustrating to us. After these encounters, we need to step away and find solitude to regain our focus and restore our energy enough to remain motivated to face the next awkward and draining social event.
What is it like to be an introvert? Each introverted person may answer this in a slightly different way, but for most it is part of what shapes our whole personality. When we embrace the truth that there is a quiet beauty in our introversion, we can then have the confidence to shine for who we are.
Of course, not every introvert is exactly the same. However, when you wonder what is it like to be an introvert, there are some defining characteristics. Most of us have experienced similar scenarios of social encounters that brought pain from ill-spoken words of others, the enjoyment of being alone with our thoughts, and the need to find a quiet place to revitalize.
Words can never hurt us… Or, can they?
Growing up, introverts are often told to get their head out of the clouds. And, most of us have felt put down or insulted by being referred to as shy, timid, or maybe even called mealy mouthed or worse. Since the thoughts of an introvert naturally turn inward, and words are carefully chosen inside of our heads, these words spoken with a demeaning tone from others can hurt deeply.
Most likely, if you are an introvert, sometimes in your lifetime you have been labeled as “SHY”! And, this probably bothers you, because this term is typically bestowed upon us as an insult to imply that we are fearful, timid creatures incapable of exerting ourselves to reach out to others. When, in fact, this is usually so far from the truth.
We take on the negativity of those around us and can be prone to depression, blaming ourselves that we are not able to meet the social demands that are expected.
Introspection is enjoyable to an introvert.
We thrive on our inward thoughts, and it is these deep pondering philosophical tidbits that bring meaning to and give our lives direction. This introspection is also a source of comfort from the rush and hyperactivity of the outside world that often leaves us feeling as though we have been run over by a truck.
Introverts pick and choose socialization
If an introvert shows up at your social event, feel honored because, to the best of our ability, we will pick and choose which events are too important to miss, and then we will gear up to have enough strength and energy to show up, mingle, maybe make a few connections, and hopefully even enjoy the event. This does not come naturally for us, and it will most likely wear us out. In fact, we are usually not heartbroken at all and find relief when a party is called off at the last minute. Sometimes, we may even reach for an excuse as to why we can’t make it. If we do show up at the gathering, we may begin to feel our energy depleting, so in an attempt to conserve our energy, we may begin to wall off or zone off into our thoughts, and appear standoffish or aloof and uncaring when this is not the reality of how we feel at all.
Our solace of quiet gives us energy
We need to be alone to recharge. It’s as if our bodies are run on a battery that quickly drains when we are forced to interact with others at a high level of energy and exertion. This is not to say we are incapable of socializing. It’s just that when we do socialize to this extent, our energy batteries need to be recharged, because we have given everything we’ve got, often in an attempt to make a deep connection with those who want nothing more than a flighty, “How’s the weather?” or business, climb-the-ladder networking style of conversation that is utterly meaningless or frustrating to us. After these encounters, we need to step away and find solitude to regain our focus and restore our energy enough to remain motivated to face the next awkward and draining social event.
What is it like to be an introvert? Each introverted person may answer this in a slightly different way, but for most it is part of what shapes our whole personality. When we embrace the truth that there is a quiet beauty in our introversion, we can then have the confidence to shine for who we are.
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