In elementary school, I was most definitely an extrovert. I fearlessly performed an original song in front of my third grade class, passionately participated in talent shows and plays, and had like a million friends...well, maybe not a million, but a lot. Over the years, I've somehow slowly morphed into an introvert. Now, you couldn't pay me to sing in front of my peers, or anyone other than my dog for that matter, and my friend group has narrowed to only include a few individuals whom I would trust with my life. Why did I go through such a transformation? Would my life have turned out completely different if I had maintained my outgoing and outspoken personality?
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Merriam-Webster describes an extrovert as, "a friendly person who likes being with and talking to other people: an outgoing person" and an introvert as, "a shy person: a quiet person who does not find it easy to talk to other people."
When I read that, my head kind of tilts and my eyebrows furrow in confusion. That can't be right. I'm friendly, and I like to be with my friends, who are people, but I also find it difficult to talk to people I don't know or people I have nothing in common with. The word "people," when used as a representation of the "average person," should not be a part of any definition regarding personality because there is no "average person." There are over seven billion people on this planet. It's going to be harder to talk to some of them than it is to talk to others.
Carl G. Jung once said, "There is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. Such a person would be in the lunatic asylum."
Now that makes sense.
An article by Belle Beth Cooper, from Fast Company, explains that it's not the level of ease we feel when talking to other humans that determines our intro- or extrovertedness, but rather "where we get our energy from." For me, it depends on the day. So, I guess that makes me an ambivert.
Travis Bradberry from Inc. lists some common characteristics of ambiverts, including things like their ability to adapt to different situations, their experiences with boredom, and their feelings about being the center of attention.
Sometimes introverts and extroverts get inaccurate and offensive reputations for being one extreme or the other, but does it really matter? We all have a little of each within us, so we should be respectful of others and ourselves by letting each type of 'vert' exist in their truest form.
