So you probably think you already know what an introvert is, and whether you are one, and hasn’t this been done to death.
Well yes but … I gained a new perspective on it recently and you might just find it surprising. I know I did!
In any personality profile I’ve ever done, I’ve come up as an “extrovert” – including the well-known Myers Briggs test (I’m an ESFJ, in case you’re interested).
People Think I’m an Extrovert!
But here’s the thing I’ve learned: just because you are outgoing, doesn’t mean you are an extrovert.
For years I was seriously convinced I was an extrovert. After all, that’s what everybody else seemed to think I was. My co-workers (back in the day – Miss Fleur has never really voiced an opinion either way 😉 ) told me so. Friends and family described me as:
- bubbly,
- friendly,
- outgoing,
- chatty,
- confident,
- animated.
Unlike many people, I enjoy public speaking. That’s the sign of an extrovert, surely?!
Not necessarily.
Why I Think I’m an Introvert
Probably the first thing that give me a hint that maybe I wasn’t an extrovert, was the simple fact that I am a writer. Hello, introvert!
I’m quite happy with my own company. Most of my hobbies are primarily solitary pursuits: doing jigsaws, reading, going for walks, pottering in the garden. I can get lost in my own thoughts for hours. Seriously!
Then I heard somebody else say they were an introvert, “Because people drain me”. It was a real eureka moment for me.
Hi, my name’s Janet, and I’m an introvert.
Being an introvert doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m quiet, or reserved.
I don’t shy away from attention or avoid the spotlight (in fact I love it!).
I can make small talk, and introduce myself to new people at a workshop or conference, or take charge in a group – and I often do. Heck, I even ran a magazine for 14 years!
Oh, and when I was single, I might have been just a bit of a flirt too 😉 .
I still have a social life. I like to go to out and mix with people.
But the big difference is, I want, need and CRAVE time on my own. There are days (or weeks) when I feel “all peopled out”!
Looking back on it, I think this may even have been behind my decision to quit teaching many years ago. I didn’t belong in a people profession; it was incredibly draining for me. I’m much happier, puttering along doing my own thing, tapping away at my computer.
So there you have it: the surprising truth is that introverts can be outgoing, fun loving, bubbly, chatty, and all the rest. Who knew?!