Some people are extroverts, always surrounding themselves with people and feeling bored anytime they are alone for too long. Other people are introverts, valuing their much-needed alone time and keeping human interaction on the slim side. We all have heard the question: Are you an extrovert or an introvert? People tend to expect you to be one or the other. If you’re like me, you don’t technically fall in either category. You crave both space and people. In recent years, this kind of person has been referred to as an “Outgoing Introvert” or an “Extroverted Introvert.”
Here are 10 signs you may be an Outgoing Introvert:
1. You have no problem talking to anyone you meet, but you only find yourself truly comfortable with a handful of people. Personally, you know you have found a true friend when you can sit in silence and not feel a need to fill the awkward gap.
2. You never know how you will behave in a social setting, and this is because you draw your energy from the room. Sometimes, you walk in and find yourself as talkative as ever, but other times you will retreat into yourself and go about observing rather than participating.
3. Your friends sometimes tend to think you are “avoiding” them because you go off of the grid for a few days. No texting, no phone calls, and certainly no face-to-face interactions. Sometimes you just need to spend quality time with yourself in order to take on the world again.
4. When you attend a party, you can usually become instant best friends with everyone you meet. However, you need about 2 weeks of only interacting with Netflix and the delivery guy after your wild, life-of-the-party extravaganza.
5. You absolutely hate small talk. You like conversations with a little meaning and depth to them. No, you do not care about how “crazy the weather is today” and you definitely do not want to partake in a 20-minute conversation about it.
6. You overcompensate in awkward social situations, causing you to spit up a lot of word vomit in an attempt to make everyone feel comfortable around you, even though you are your most uncomfortable self in this situation.
7. You are most at ease in big cities or places such as coffee shops, where you can be surrounded by people but still off in your own little world. People-watching is certainly one of your favorite pastimes.
8. You never waste your time with people. You already can barely tolerate social settings most of the time, so if you keep up with someone, they must mean A LOT to you. You would never lead people on just to feel some sense of connection with someone because forced and fake interaction with people drains you pretty quickly.
9. Most people assume you are incredibly social and comfortable taking charge, talking to strangers, and being the one to give the group presentation. In reality, nothing makes you cringe more than these situations.
10. It took everyone, including you, years to discover that you’re shy and not exactly a “people person” because you have been able to navigate most social situations fairly well. However, you start to lose it a little bit if you go several days without any alone or down time.
Ultimately, “Outgoing Introverts” are introverts at heart because they need space to recharge. However, unlike other introverts, they come off as being extremely social and outgoing in most social situations. Being one is confusing and hypocritical at times, but there are advantages to being able to understand both the introverted and extroverted perspectives on life.
