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What is an introvert?
Being an introvert means you have a temperament like no other. We often think of the social aspect when we talk about introversion, as explained by Marti Olsen Laney, the psychotherapist. I myself described my social relationship in this introduction, but being an introvert is much more complex. Nor is it a synonym for being shy! Ask my friends, they'll say I'm anything but shy around them. 🤫 An introvert is often turned inward, which explains why they can come across as shy or antisocial. But, there are different profiles of introverts, just like hypersensitive people.
Is being an introvert a bad thing?
Being an introvert is not a negative thing. It is simply the opposite of the word "extroverted". However, unlike this character trait, introversion is still misunderstood. Just a few years ago, the American Psychiatric Association even considered classifying introverts as having psychic disorders 😱!
👎 If introversion is still misperceived, it is partly because it is associated with negative preconceived ideas such as; loneliness, coldness, shyness, and internalization of emotions... Now, an introvert can develop these traits, but so can everyone else.
How can you recognize an introvert?
Recognizing an introvert can be a truly difficult task. Sophia Dembling, author of the book "The Introvert: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World," even believes that many introverts can pass for extroverts. However, there are signs to identify if you are an introvert, or to help you recognize introversion in someone else.
Being independent
Since social contact is not important to us, unlike extroverts, we can be alone. Solitude does not scare us, on the contrary, we like it. It allows us to do our inner monologues and to occupy ourselves with activities that we like. Thanks to this, we are more independent, both in the private and professional spheres. We are not afraid to try experiences, like going on a trip alone. 😇 Another advantage is that you never get bored!
Being on the fence
Even though we sometimes go out on dates, we're not necessarily there to meet new people 🤐. We have to mentally prepare ourselves to see people, certainly, but it happens. However, we'd rather have deep conversations with friends we already know rather than small talk with strangers. So in the eyes of these new people, we can come across as shy, quiet, secretive, cold, when we are more into observation 👀.
Being quiet
Some people will say we're afraid of conflict, but generally, we're pretty calm and pacifist. On the other hand, if we don't manage our emotions well, we can easily explode, especially with people we know well 🤯. We allow ourselves to do this because we're more comfortable, but usually, we resolve conflicts diplomatically.
Have a comfort zone
Since we can easily feel assaulted by the outside world, we like to have a quiet place and habits. Generally, we don't like to take risks, and we stay on the path we know. Leaving our comfort zone is very complicated to do when we are introverted, we need stability. 🤔 Of course, this is not the case for all introverts, but these are great characteristics that we can find.
How do you communicate with an introvert?
I admit that it must not seem easy for people who don’t know about introversion. The founding of the relationship can take time. Indeed, one needs to go gradually and to be reassured, that's why patience is a good ally 😌.
Communication is not so much our forte. As we are often in our own world, it is difficult to take part in exchanges, however, we do understand emotions, so don't hesitate to express them with an introvert. In fact, emotions are a language that this type of personality your introverted friend comes to the next party, it's better to see her alone. Personally, this is what I prefer. I have a few friends, but I like to see them one on one because it allows me to focus fully on one person 👩❤️👩.
When you're an introvert, you value quantity over quality. We don't have many friends, but we're very loyal and know how to have fun. It allows us to share our deep thoughts. We also need more moments alone, and this isn’t because we don't love our loved ones, it's because it allows us to recharge our batteries 🤗.
The editor's opinion - Living your best-introverted lifeThere are people who live very well with introversion, and others for whom it is a pain. It is true that understanding how it works can be a challenge, so, if being an introvert bothers you in your daily life, it is important to talk about it. 🤗 Understand yourself, accept yourself, be happy... Let’s do it here and now! #BornToBeMe |
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