Being an introvert has always felt like my cross to bear. In a world dominated by extroverts, I often viewed it as a character flaw—part of me I wish I could change. But I’ve come to realize that being an introvert is not a weakness.
Introverts are often misunderstood
Because we tend to stay quiet, others may make assumptions about us. They may think we’re stuck up, aloof, antisocial, or unknowledgeable when that’s not the case at all. We may also go unnoticed, especially in the workplace. Someone more outspoken and charismatic may get recognized more often than we do, even if they’re less talented or capable than we are.
We can be our authentic selves when we feel comfortable
We can often feel like two different people; walking contradictions. For instance, I can be extremely goofy, opinionated, and sassy as hell to some people and quiet, reserved, and anxious around others. Our personalities shift based on who we’re surrounded by. We open up more to people who take the time to get to know us.
Extroverts are just different, they’re not better
I’ve always gravitated toward outgoing people. I guess it’s because they have something in them that I admire. They’re dynamic, likable, and don’t care what anyone else thinks. Take my boyfriend for example. He’s the life of the party and will start conversations with anyone and everyone with absolute ease. To know him is to love him. Then there’s me. I take some time to get to know. I loathe small talk and prefer a quiet night at home to a party any day. Like most introverts, I enjoy having deep one-on-one conversations; going below the surface, so to speak. But extroverts aren’t superior to introverts, they just have different strengths than we do. They may even admire certain qualities that we have, that they don’t.
Being an introvert has its perks
We’re great listeners, focused, creative and insightful, think before we speak, and are often natural-born writers. In fact, I was lucky enough to turn my love for writing into a career. Because we enjoy having deep conversations and spending one-on-one time with people, we’re often able to develop solid, lifelong friendships. We’d much rather have a few close friends than a ton of acquaintances. When it comes to relationships, we’re typically not clingy, because we crave personal space and need time to ourselves, so we’re willing to give space to our partners when they need it. We’re also rarely ever bored. We can be perfectly content spending time alone, watching a movie or curling up to a good book. This really allows us to get to know ourselves quite well.
Learning to accept and love who we are is key
Introversion isn’t something that needs to be cured. We must learn to embrace our quiet nature and recognize the strength and beauty of it.
Everyone shines, given the right lighting. ― Susan Cain
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