Introverts Unite!

Growing up I was also referred to as the “little one” and the “quiet one”.  For many years, I considered myself shy due to my quiet nature.  Then in my 30’s, I discovered the terms Introvert and Extrovert and my thinking completely changed about myself and who I was.
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Introversion is a personality trait characterized by a focus on internal feelings rather than on external sources of stimulation.  When I discovered I was an Introvert and not shy, my world opened up!  I started to understand me and why I behaved in a certain way.  And that there was nothing wrong with me!  Let me share some of the things that I found out about being an Introvert.

• Being around a large crowd of people drains your energy.  It does not mean that you do not like people, it just means that you need to retreat to a quiet place to regain your energy.
• You don’t mind being alone.  In fact, you like it.
• You prefer long lasting, deep relationships.  You may only have a small, close knit circle of friends instead of a big, wide circle.
• You are described as quiet and may be thought of as a little snobby.  It is usually because you are more reserved and do not like chit-chat at all!
• When you have to spend time in activities or environments that are very hectic, you can end up feeling unfocused and overwhelmed.  In fact for me, I can physically feel my mind shutting down. 
• You probably feel like you have a very good knowledge and insight into yourself, your motivations, and your feelings.
• You like to watch others perform a task, often repeatedly, until you feel that you can replicate the actions on your own.   Then you practice by yourself and in not in front of an audience.  Once you have mastered the task then you will do it. 
• You like to work independently.  

Understanding if you are an Introvert or an Extrovert will help you cope with situations that you find yourself in.  For me that looks something like this…….  I go to very large functions often with my Mary Kay business.  I make sure that I am fully prepared because I function better that way.  I also schedule alone time.  So after the event, I make sure I retreat by myself to recoup and re-energize. 

There is no right or wrong personality type.  Embrace who you are and others will love you for it!  Some of my best friends are extroverts and we kid each other all of the time about our differences.  I think the saying “opposites attract” is totally true!
 
Grateful for you,
​Theresa