Do you enjoy spending time alone? Are you usually ‘the quiet one’ in a group of others? Do you find yourself making excuses to stay in your cozy robe at home rather than attending a party?
If that sounds like you, you might be an introvert just like me.
What really is an introvert?
I’m sure you’ve heard the word before – but many people have misconceptions of what it really means to be an introvert. Let’s clarify!
An introvert is someone who prefers calm, minimally stimulating environments. While some introverts might enjoy socializing with friends, after a while it leaves us feeling drained; this is when we need alone time to recharge ourselves.
Did you know that 30-50% of people in the U.S. are introverts?
It’s perfectly normal and you shouldn’t feel any shame.
One misconception that people have regarding introverts is that they wish they weren’t introverts…
This isn’t the case! The majority of introverts are happy with their chill lifestyle and wouldn’t trade their cozy, quiet alone time for anything.
Thinking you might be an introvert?
Here are 10 signs that you’re probably right.
1. You enjoy spending time by yourself.
This is likely the most obvious one. While many introverts enjoy a bit of social time, we still look forward to getting home, getting cozy, and soaking in the silence. Introverts require this alone time to recharge from socializing. This doesn’t mean we like to be alone all the time… Yes, we like to be alone – but we don’t like to be lonely.
2. You feel lonelier surrounded by others than when you’re actually alone.
When you’re surrounded by a group of others who are not introverts, you feel pressured to be chatty and make conversation. You begin to feel socially awkward, shy, fatigued, and disconnected from your true self. Feeling out of place or that you look like a wallflower in these types of situations, is a huge sign that you’re an introvert.
3. When it comes to expressing your thoughts or feelings, you’re better at writing them than speaking them.
Whether it’s a birthday card, a simple to-do list, or a note used to confront someone, introverts tend to express their thoughts and feelings very thoroughly when it’s with pen and paper than a face-to-face conversation.
Here’s a personal example of my own…
When I was younger and living with my parents, my step-dad and I didn’t see eye to eye very often. I remember having to have conversations at the dinner table with him and I could never get to fully express what I wanted to say because I would leave the table in tears and run to my room. Not because I was scared or in trouble, but because I was frustrated and couldn’t get my points across.
Since then, any time that I have something serious that I need to speak about with someone (even my husband), I tend to write it all down on paper first. I make sure I get each and every one of my points out there; because I know if I try to have the entire conversation face-to-face, my mind will not be able to handle it and many things will be left unsaid.
4. Being the center of attention is not something you wish for.
Everyone wants to feel important and wants to feel seen, but introverts like to feel this from afar. For example, when you have an idea at work, you’d rather speak with your boss one-on-one (or better yet, send an email) than to bring up your suggestion during the staff meeting in front of all your co-workers.
5. You don’t always know what to say.
You’ll end a conversation and then realize what you should have said after the fact… Struggling with word retrieval is very common for introverts. Once the conversation is over, you’ll likely be able to recharge and then the right words will come to you (unfortunately, a little later than hoped for).
6. You never stop talking to yourself inside your head.
Basically, you have an inner monologue that never stops. Your mind is constantly racing and the voice inside your head is always talking to you… About the past, what you need to do the next day, something awkward you said 2 years ago… You just can’t seem to shut off your inner thoughts.
7. You work better with less social stimulation.
You’re easily distracted when working with a group of others. Things might become feeling hectic and you feel overwhelmed and unfocused. However, in solitude, you can do some of your best thinking.
8. An introvert strength: You’re very self-aware.
Because introverts spend so much time alone, they have the opportunity to really get to know themselves inside and out. Introverts enjoy gaining a deeper knowledge of themselves and their motivations. More often than not, you’ll find that introverts choose to explore hobbies and books that are of great importance to them. They know what they like.
9. You lean towards jobs that are more independent.
Introverts don’t typically apply for jobs that consist of a lot of social interaction. Careers that offer a more independent setting like an accountant, writer, or computer programmer are much more appealing to introverts. Most of us are also very much all about that work from home lifestyle.
10. You try to avoid small talk at all costs.
If you’re like me and think small talk is one of the worst things on the planet, you’re probably an introvert. There have been many instances when I open the front door and step outside to take out the trash, just to quickly walk back inside because I notice one of my neighbors out in their yard. Or what about seeing someone you know from high school…
Introverts dread that “Hi! How have you been?” small talk, so we tend to quickly look the other way and walk in a direction that we weren’t even headed, just to avoid it altogether.
Are you an introvert?
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