Summer time is here and that means more free time and more opportunities to be surrounded by people. A lot of people don't mind the thought of going out and hanging with friends, but for those of us who suffer from being an introvert, the mere idea of being around people can seem a little daunting.
People who are classified as introverted are characterized as internalizing their thoughts and emotions. And unlike extroverts, who feel re-energized by being in a crowd, introverts can actually feel drained by spending too much time around others.
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Being an introvert myself, here are some pros and cons involved with being one.
Pros:
The biggest pro of being an introvert is that you flourish being alone and you can always find some way to entertain yourself. You also never really feel "alone," because "alone" is your ideal state.
In addition to flourishing when alone, introverts tend to be able to think more clearly when alone. We tend to mull things over and think a lot before speaking, which is ten times easier when not surrounded by the constant chatter of others.
Another pro is that you never have to worry about what to wear. If you rarely go out, you never have to change from your pair of comfy sweats. And in those times when you do go out, people are pleasantly surprised by how good you look.
I, like other introverts, tend to listen a lot more than I actually talk. Sometimes we just like to take in our surroundings and listen closely to whatever is being said. That way we can give a better response than if we just spewed out the first thought that crossed our mind.
A final big pro of being introverted is that in a relationship, we don't require a lot of attention. More often than not, we're fine with just sitting with whoever doing our own thing with the occasional conversation.
Cons:
The biggest con, like I mentioned before, is that introverts feel drained when being around others. It also doesn't help being so attuned to everything that happens around us, since that also contributes to our drained-feeling.
Another con introverts face is that sometimes, we crave attention, but still feel uncomfortable with the thought of being around people. So sometimes we make plans because we want to hang out, but ultimately cancel because being around others is so exhausting.
Because of an introvert's reserved nature, we sometimes come off as stand-offish and snobby when you first meet us. Really, we're just listening and thinking of the best way to respond. Meeting new people causes our senses to go into hyper-drive as we try to analyze them and figuring out what kind of person they are.
Small talk is an introvert's worst enemy. The thought of having to sit there and make meaningless conversation is the stuff of nightmares. Often times, we just don't know how to respond because we take the time to plan out and think through our responses.
Lastly, we tend to have fewer friends than those of us who are more outgoing, but the few friends that we do have, are going to last a long time. Because we take the time to watch, listen and understand, we find the people that we truly connect with and don't waste our time on those who we don't.
Being an introvert can sometimes be a difficult thing to live with, but sometimes it can be really rewarding. Whether you are one or know one, introverts are special creatures, and we'll always be there for you in our own way.
