True or false: extroverts are the fun, adventure-seekers who enjoy engaging, social situations and will often be the life of the party, while introverts will sit in the corner making friends with the food table because they hate social interaction. If you’re first instinct was to call this truth, you have to rethink what you know about introversion.
Introversion and extroversion, a psychological theory popularized by Carl Jung, is a fluid scale. It doesn’t have to do with an individual’s behavior as much as it has to do with where they draw their energy from. An extrovert will feel invigorated by spending time with large groups, where an introvert loses energy from being with people, even if they enjoy the company. On the other hand, an introvert feels refreshed and anew by spending time alone.
Many of us confuse introversion with extroversion in specific circumstances and even misjudge how we, ourselves are. Being young and blossoming into adulthood means frequently going to social events, spending our free time with friends, and living with a lot of other young people. Because of the environment we live in, introverts can easily mistake themselves for extroverts. However, if the following sound like you, you might secretly be an introvert.
1. Small talk is like a Dementor sucking your soul out with a bendy straw
It’s a common misconception that introverts dislike talking to people. In reality, they just hate small talk, and it has nothing to do with the person. Small talk feels like vain, idle chatter that people spew when they have nothing of relevance to discuss. Like corporate jargon, it creates a barrier of falseness that leaves an introvert feeling fake and empty.
2. Instead, you’d much rather discuss the meaning of life
If you find yourself at a party (which you often do because you like people), you’re probably talking with just one or two other friends and the conversation is fairly deep. You’ve been called “intense” because your default mode is discussing the universe, life, and humanity. “But like seriously, what if determinism exists and every move we make was set into motion and controlled by the big bang 13.7 billion years ago?!”
3. You get bored quickly with large crowds
When you’re out with friends you might feel alone or dulled by the large group of people. In the beginning of the night, you were excited by the idea of going out dancing with your 40 closest friends, but now you’re starting to have second thoughts. You’ll seek out one specific person to have a discussion with or you might even wander off by yourself.
4. You enjoy having free time with no plans
An extrovert might feel antsy with too much free time and not much to fill it with, but introverts enjoy the reprieve. Whether they make a cup of coffee and go through a stack of magazines, or have a hobby they enjoy taking part in, introverts know how to spend time with themselves and sometimes prefer it to time with other people.
5. You are always trying to improve yourself
Because introverts really like spending time alone, they tend to work toward making themselves a better person to be alone with. They like to reflect upon their thoughts and figure out ways to improve. They’re always trying to change something about their attitude or learn a new skill. If they aren’t happy with the direction their life is taking, they’ll figure out a way to change it.
6. Your inner dialogue is relentless
It’s like being in Times Square on New Years Eve at Midnight (which, by the way, is an introverts worst nightmare). You have a multi-faceted personality and each one vies constantly for your attention. You are in touch with your feelings and if you ignore your thoughts for too long and don’t work through any issues, the cacophony in your head turns into a full on riot.
7. You like to take long walks
Because of the loud, inner monologue hogging space in your head, you need to devote a little time each week to listening to these thoughts. The best way, you’ve realized, to take care of this is by going for a long walk. You might even leave your cell phone behind so you don’t have to worry about being bothered by anybody while your trying to think. Thinking is something you take seriously.
8. Your periods of work, solitude, and socializing are cyclical
Because of the point in your life that you are currently at, you’re always being pulled in different directions to juggle multiple work and social activities. You’ll go through some periods where you’re a social butterfly, but then as soon as you have downtime, you don’t talk to anybody.
9. You enjoy parties
Contrary to popular belief, introverts actually enjoy going out to parties–they just don’t enjoy meeting a ton of new people. Meeting somebody at a party is a shallow, fake encounter. You rarely see them after the first meeting so it feels pointless and a little phony. However, if many of the introvert’s friends are there, they will love the atmosphere and seek out each friend individually to catch up (followed by a deep conversation).
10. You’re a writer
If you enjoy writing short stories, keep a journal, or you simply are a reader, chances are you are an introvert. Solitary activities that require self-reflection and an inner voice are linked with introversion. Being an introvert has nothing to do with social anxiety. So, you could very easily spend an afternoon journaling and hiking alone, before you set out for a night in the city with a ton of friends. But when you’re done and ready to go home, nothing stands between you and your glorious bed.
[Feature Image Credit: Michelle LaFiura]
10 Signs You’re an Introvert Who Thinks They’re an Extrovert is a post from: LifeDaily